What time is bedtime for your 2-year old?

[disabledvetswife]

Bedtime is supposed to be 8pm, but ends up being more like 9pm. DD will sleep 12 hours, whether 8-8 or 9-9. Works for us because we don't work outside the house, so don't have to be anywhere bright & early.

I'm just starting to wonder if we should focus more on the 8pm time (or earlier). A friend of mine has her 2-year old in bed at 7pm every night! I don't know how she does it.

ETA: Forgot to mention that she also takes a nap every day that ranges from 30minutes to 2 hours.

[zoeys_mom]

We have both kiddos in bed @ 8pm. Any later and they are monsters to get to school in the morning. Any earlier and we just can't do it. We both work outside the home so by the time we get home, eat dinner, do bathes, 8pm is the best we can do.
(this holds for a 3 yo and a 6 yo, but we started this over a year ago when our 3 yo was a 2 yo )

[mayakelly]

I have two boys, turning 2 years in June and 4 years in June. We try to have an 8 pm bedtime. They sleep until about 6 am. (sometimes 5:30 sometimes 6:30) they take a nap from about 1-3 in the afternoon.

[Cynthiabutterfly]

We have our routine starting between 7:30 and 7:45, and aim for around 8. Later in the summer, because the sun is still out and their bedroom window faces west. I know they aren't asleep, but they start relaxing when we do our routine, and they know not to get up and play or make noise. I kept DS in his crib until he learned to stay in the bed on his own, and they both know that unless the sun is up, it's still night!

I think it's good for them to have the routine, and lay down even if they aren't sleeping.

[MrsStunner]

I have a 2yr old DD and a 6yr old DS and both go to bed around 8pm, but neither sleep 12hrs (i'm so jealous). I'm very lucky if we make it to 7am.

[padmelupin]

When my SS was 2, DH worked until 8 or 8:30pm. In order to spend any time with Daddy, SS's bedtime was 10. It worked for them, since he didn't have to get up early and SS still got enough sleep.

[~~Who,Me?~~]

Mine go to bed at 7, sometimes as early as 6:45 or 6:30. They're up early though, we leave the house at 6:20 am, so they're up at 5:30 or 5:45. I go to bed at 8, get up at 4.

Mine are usually very cooperative, and on weekends they will sleep in till 6 or 7. Both (ages 1 and 3) still take one long afternoon nap too.

[Weinergirl]

We take our 2 year old up at 7:30 and get her tucked in by 8 pm, then start with the (almost) 5 year old. It is harder now that it's so light at bedtime, but they don't complain... yet.

[amylynne01]

Both are in bed at 8. E is usually up around 7, and L's wakeup time is all over the place.

[enginerd]

The bedtime should depend on your schedule. If your family does not have to up at a certain time, then your 8-8 or 9-9 sleeping schedule is fine. What I always did was determine how much sleep my son needs (by how long he will sleep if not awakened and how his mood is and how he handles himself) - when he was 2 he required about 11 hours of sleep if I remember right. Then based on what time he had to be up, I would set his bedtime accordingly (would usually build in 1/2 in addition to that because we know how it can be getting them into bed and asleep). Right now he requires about 10 hours of sleep and has to be up by 6:30 for school so his bedtime is 8 p.m. Then I will let him read in bed until 8:30 if he chooses - this is a great way to get him to wind down and when the lights go out, he usually is asleep within 5 minutes. This is a great way to encourage reading also because what kid doesn't want to stay up.