Bedtime?

[chicken]

People who have kids, I have a question for you: do you have a strict bedtime for your children?

When I was a kid, our parents made my sister and me go to bed promptly at 8:00 PM every night. When we got to be older, like, 12 years old, it was moved to about 10:00 PM. When we were in high school and had to stay up doing homework, there was no more bedtime.

What I'm talking about though is those first ten years or so. I really thought children were supposed to get a good night's sleep, and up until about ten years ago, I never saw kids out and about late at night. These days, though, if you go to Walmart or Target and it's late, like really late, like 2:00 AM or something, and there's kids, little kids, about six years old, running around the aisles as if they have too much sugar or caffeine in their systems.

The worst example, we went to see the third Pirates movie, which in and of itself I think may be too violent and scary for a five year old. It was a 9:30 showing, a three-hour movie, and there were about 14 kids running around the aisles on sugar highs, waiting for the movie to start. Under ten years old, all of them. Most way under, like around seven.

It wasn't just one errant set of parents who brought their small kids to this late show. It was a whole bunch and they didn't even know each other.

Is it just a new societal thing now where kids don't have bedtimes anymore?

Comments

[maryavatar.livejournal.com]

My kids have always had a really strict bedtime. I get incredibly pissed off with my mother-in-law when she lets them stay up late because 'they're on holiday'.

Because what you want on holiday is to be over-tired and grumpy? Grr.

Bed at 8pm. No later. Ever.

[chicken-cem.livejournal.com]

You're a good mom. I suspected my friends list would differ from what I've been witnessing. I don't know what that means, though.

[kerri9494.livejournal.com]

I have three words for you. Flo. Ri. Da. ;-)

Spud had an 8:30 bedtime until earlier this year, when he was given an 8:30 "get into the shower" time. So he has to start getting ready for bed at 8:30, which usually puts him asleep at around 9:30.

Yes, I am pretty strict about this.

One thing to consider -- if you're somewhere that you are likely to find many single parents, you're more likely to see kids. If the parent has to go to the store for something, I guess it's better to bring the kid along than leave it at home alone.

Also, check my Flickr! CHICKENS!

[chicken-cem.livejournal.com]

Well, no, it's not Florida's fault. I saw this in RI and MA a lot, too. And in Colorado.

Anyway I am glad you are strict with Spud. I do suspect that some people take their kids to the store out of desperation, but also, at the theater it was all mom-n-dad couples with their kids, like it was a normal thing to go to the movies late at night with your three screaming brats.

Those are some chickens all right! I hope those eggs were delicious.

[anelith.livejournal.com]

We've always had a definite bedtime. Nathan goes up for a story a little after 7:30, and the light goes out at 8:00. Evan goes up to his room at 8:00 and gets to read until 8:30. We've recently started thinking about letting them stay up a bit later. But we'll only give up our own "grown-up" time reluctantly!

It's hard on the kids to not get enough sleep, and it's hard on the parents to not have their own peace and quiet. Also, I am enraged when I see kids at movies that are entirely unsuitable for their age. The Pirates movie is too violent and disturbing for small children. I've seen weeping children begging to be allowed to go home in movie theaters and it sickens me. Those parents are very selfish. They should either hire a babysitter, or if that is too expensive, wait until the movie comes out on TV or on video. Kids ALWAYS come first. If you can't deal with that, then DON'T. HAVE. KIDS. /rant

[chicken-cem.livejournal.com]

Those parents are very selfish. They should either hire a babysitter, or if that is too expensive, wait until the movie comes out on TV or on video. Kids ALWAYS come first. If you can't deal with that, then DON'T. HAVE. KIDS.

The problem is, they probably feel like they are giving their kids a 'treat' by letting them be naughty and stay up late and go to adult movies. They probably don't see anything wrong with it, especially when dozens of other parents are doing the same exact thing in the same exact movie theater. The fact that SO many of them do it makes it seem like societally it's totally OK, so they keep doing it. Reinforcement. That's the part I don't get. The fact that there are just so darn many of them. If it was just one or two couples I would think, oh, those are just irresponsible, selfish parents. But the fact that it is so hugely widespread makes me think that society as a whole is just BROKEN.

[anelith.livejournal.com]

Sadly, I think you are probably right. These adults don't see what they are doing is harmful to their children. And they see parents like me as waaay too uptight, or prudish, or whatever.

I don't know what the answer is.

[chicken-cem.livejournal.com]

I really think this whole sugar/caffeine/stay up late stuff being "normal" now is why so many kids are supposedly stricken with ADHD these days. When I was a kid, no one had ADHD. Now, some classrooms have about 65% of the kids on some kind of Ritalin or whatever.

Hmmmmmm.

[anelith.livejournal.com]

Sorry for the rant! Just had to get that off my chest. Seen too many kids in movie theaters, I guess.

[chicken-cem.livejournal.com]

I'm glad you ranted, because that's what I felt like doing, and I don't even have kids. We raised our voices a bit when we were talking about it, waiting for the movie to start, so that the errant parents would hear and be shamed, but I really, really think they don't see anything wrong with their behavior. It's kind of scary. And I'm sure they were all on sugar or caffeine highs because they weren't sitting still quietly waiting for the movie to start, they were running around the aisles at 9:45 PM, hitting each other, laughing, yelling, generally not being sleepy.