Children Going to Bed When Their Parents do?

What do you think of this?

I've known a few parents over the years who do this. They have the kids running around until the adults are ready for bed. I've found the main reason to be that the kids will then sleep later in the mornings. I honestly cannot understand why people would choose to do this?

On a selfish level, it means you have your children at your feet from first thing in the morning 'till you close your eyes at night - that would drive me insane.

Plus, how can these children get used to being up early for nursery/school when the time comes?

AND surely they'd be exhausted?

Or do they magically adjust to a new bedtime/waking time when they turn 3 and go to nursery? The ones I've known don't ... they still stay up late and quite often just miss nursery/turn up late to school.

Am I missing something? How can it ever be a good idea?

WYO?

Absolutely ridiculous idea. Can't really say more than that!

Jamie used to do this when he was tiny. Was the most sensible option at the time. Now he'd never make it, he asks and begs to go "upstairs clean teeth get in bed" any time after about 6:30! If he asks and for some reason CAN'T, then he screams after about another 10 minutes cos he is tired!

The lad knows what he needs let me tell you - thank goodness cos how would I know otherwise!
Lx

I think it's a crazy idea! It wouldn't actually work with us anyway - it doesn't matter what time dd goes to bed she is always up at around the same time.

I like having a bit of adult time in the evenings.

Eldest child did this for years, until she was 3 or 4. It had nothing to do with sleeping late - I wish! - and eveything to do with her (undiagnosed at the time) autism. We had to teach her to lie quietly in bed and rest even if she couldn't sleep, just to get her to lie down - this couldn't happen until she was old enough to understand. She still needs very little sleep, and often lies awake until after 11pm. She's never once been late for toddler group, preschool, nursery, primary school, and is now at senior school.

I know other people who allow their child a later bedtime to spend some time with them, especially full time workers who get home after 6pm and would otherwise spend no time at all with a child who went to bed at 7pm. Not everyone who "allows" their child to have a later than usual bedtime is a bad parent.

On occasion, Youngest Child still stays up with us until 10 or 11pm (usually when she has napped late and is running around and playing until I drop). She still gets up at a normal time - she has to, to fit in with everyone else's routine!

The only time we did this was when they were very small and feeding frequently in the evening. Now we really need time to ourselves in the evening. I feel stressed when DS2 has a nap too late in the afternoon because he won't be tired until late in the evening so I don't get any relaxation time.