What is an appropriate bedtime for my 6 year old daughter?

Question

My daughter has been going to bed at 10ish during the week (she is in kindergarten) and I thought this was okay but lately her mornings are like pulling teeth! Its sooo hard to get her ready for school cause she is cranky and whiny and doesnt want to do anything so I am thinking that I need to change her bedtime but I would like to help on an appropriate bedtime for her age? I have heard people say 8pm but that seems a little too early...

Answer 1

children that age should get around 10 hrs of sleep in order to function well, so 9pm sounds reasonable to me.  i'm 25 and need 10 hrs in order to feel well rested. 10 is waaaaaaaaaay too late! 8 pm can work.  Tell her she can lay in her bed at 8pm and read a book if she's not sleepy.  That's what I did as a child then fell asleep afterwards.  I'd sit and read a book by the night light and jumped into bed when tired.  Don't let her get up and watch tv or do what she normally did at that time.  It will take persistance but she will feel a lot better in the mornings.  Also follow up in the morning with a nutritious breakfast, that will help wake her up and be more alert for class.

Answer 2

I have a pre-k and a kindergartener, they go to bed between 9 and 10 and get up between 7 and 8. As long as she is getting 10 hours of sleep or more (if she needs it) she is ok.

Answer 3

My son is in kindergarten and if I don't have him in bed by 8:00 every night its a big battle with him in the morning. He is more alert and happy when he gets the right amount of sleep. Its going to be hard to change her bed time at first, but if you stick with it and not give in, you will find your mornings with her more pleasant.

Answer 4

It depends on your child. All three of mine (10, 8, 5) go to bed at 8 PM and wake at 7 AM. They get up cheerfully and without any hassle, so its a good time for us. Back her bedtime up to 9 PM and see how it goes for a week. If she's still cranky, back it up further. She might not need 11 hours of sleep, but I know my kids definately do. I also know it takes my kids 30 minutes to fall asleep, so 8 is perfect for us. I go to bed at 10, so its nice to have some time with just my husband.

Answer 5

10pm???? for a 6year old? You must have a death wish LOL. No i did the same thing with my firsts...and i say that for a 6yr old around 8oclock is a very good bedtime.

Answer 6

I have a 5 yr old, her bedtime is 8:30. At 8 she has to get in the bath tub, get jammies on, go to the bathroom and get a drink. There is no excuse for her to be out of bed come 8:30. It makes our mornings run pretty smooth. She is allowed to look at a book or something like that, but only by night light. The big lights are off.

Answer 7

Have her in her bed by 8:30 oclock but let her watch tv until 9:00 and then tell her time for bed... then she will be satisfied and ready for bed.

Answer 8

Even my 11 year old goes to bed before 10  during the week!  No wonder getting yoru child out of bed is difficult.  I can't imagine she is doing very well in school either

Answer 9

my 7 year old has to go upstairs at 7:45, lights out at 8:15

Answer 10

like 8:30 maybe 9 the latest

Answer 11

WHAO. 10ish????NOOOO WAYY! kindergarten?!?!?!my older brother, me, and my younger brother, when we were that age, we thought that being in bed by 9 was late. thats wayyy to much.

Answer 12

10:00 is very late time for a 6 year old to go to bed. make her go to bed at 8:00 and if she argues it is okay to be strict.

Answer 13

I was never tired as a 6 year old, but when I finally did fall asleep, I would wake up and not wana get out of bed..I always thought that I might as well have stayed up untill midnight because thats always the time I went to sleep, but if ur 6 yr old is good at resting her body and finding sleep fast, then 8-8:30 is best

Answer 14

depends on what time you need her to get up.  6 year olds need about 11 hours of sleep per night.  My daughter is almost 6.  She has to get up at 6:30, so her normal bedtime is between 7:30 and 8.

Answer 15

7:oopm

Answer 16

well 10 is too late. im 12 and i go to bed at nine and if you think 8 is early then try 8:30 and if its hard to get her up keep pushing back the time and eventually you'll find the perfect time.since you've been leting her stay up until 10 it will be harder but the longer you do it the more she'll get used to it.

Answer 17

Mine goes to bed at 8:30pm on weekdays (she gets up at 7:30am) and 10:00pm on weekends - she'd be up all night if I let her.

Answer 18

Your child needs to go to bed early enough to allow her to get the proper amount of sleep.  At her age, that would be about nine to ten hours.

Answer 19

I agree with 8 or 8:30. It's going to be like pulling teeth to get her going to bed early, so try reading her a story to cut down on the pleading to stay up.

Answer 20

If you think 8 is too early think of this.  By the time she falls asleep it will be 9.  Kids take forever to fall asleep, almost an hour most of the time.  So obviously if you put her to sleep at 9, might as well let her stay up until 10.  8:00pm is a good time to put a child that little to rest.

Answer 21

When I was 6 i reckon i went to bed at around 7:30 pm so I was sleeping before 8:00 when they watershed comes out!

8 Is not too early and if you dont give her a bed time now you will just be a pushover!

Answer 22

8.00 is great timing for a 6 year old child.

Answer 23

Eight Thirty or nine.

but build up to it, dont say. okay.bed at eight tonight, play with her alot, and get her tired and have her go to bed a half hour earlier every night until the time you want.

Answer 24

get her to lay down at 7:00 and read to her or something then stop around 7:30 then you will probably have some arguments with her but the thing is by 8:30 she will give up and go to bed also in her room turn the clock back and trick her i was a nanny for over four years i know these things after a while she will get used to it and every thing will work. I know it will be tough but dont forget to reward her if she goes to sleep early she can have extra desert or a treat befor bed and on special occasions let her stay up but dont every weekend make a set schedual and stick to it. It will benifit you both in the end

Answer 25

10 is way, way too late.  You should be getting close to bed at 8:30.  You are right about the whining and grumping.  She is too tired.  Enforce a much earlier time and she will fall into the habit very quickly.  You will notice the difference.

Answer 26

10 is way late if she is only 6. My almost 11 y/o grand daughters bedtime just went to 9:30. She gets up at 6:30.

Answer 27

It depends on when your child needs to wake up.  She needs anywhere between 10-12 hours of sleep a night.  So, if she needs to wake up at 7am, then I would say no later than 8 to 8:30 (and that's pushing it).

Answer 28

10 pm is way too late for a 6 year old....that is when I go to bed and I am almost 15.

8:00 to 8:30 is a good time for a 6 year old

Answer 29

What time does she get up?  My kids went to bed at 9 at that age but did not have to get up until 7:30

Answer 30

8 or 9 at the latest

Answer 31

My cousin who is 7 goes to bed @ 830.. and 10 on the weekends (at least he does when I babysit) so I would say 830!