Bedtime for 7 Year Old

Updated on September 26, 2011
M.C. asks from Marlborough, MA
17 answers

At what time do your 7 year old or 2nd graders go to bed? Week nights and weekends? Lately my daughter who generally goes to bed very easily has been coming back and forth downstairs until about 9:00 during the week. She has to be up and getting ready for school by 6:45 each morning. Thanks!!

What can I do next?

  • Add yourAnswer own comment
  • Ask your own question Add Question
  • Join the Mamapedia community Mamapedia
  • as inappropriate
  • this with your friends

So What Happened?

Thanks everyone! We start our bedtime routine at 7:30 and then read for about 20 minutes. We let her read by herself after that so lights are usually out by 8:30. We shall see what happens. I definitely need my time after the kids are both in bed so I'm sure 8 will stick its just tiring to have her keep coming downstairs saying she can't sleep.

Featured Answers

C.P.

answers from Columbia on

Both of my boys went to bed at 8pm at that age. They really do need that extra sleep. I'll stretch it to 9-930 on weekends.

Plus, mommy needs a little time to herself. I go to bet at about 9:30 on weeknights...so I'd prefer them to be asleep when I get to bed!

3 moms found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

B.C.

answers from Joplin on

My daughter will be 11 next month and she still has an 8:30 bedtime. I think though, that all children are different, and not all kids need as much sleep as others seem to. My youngest son is a nightmare to get to bed, but wakes up cranky and I know if it were physically possible to get him to go to bed earlier mornings might be easier, but he has a nap at preschool which makes the earlier bedtime difficult. I say try a new bedtime for a week and if it doesn't work try a new one. Good luck! = )

3 moms found this helpful

More Answers

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

A.H.

answers from Canton on

My son who is also 7yrs old and in 2nd grade goes to bed between 8:30-9pm and gets up at 7am if that helps..he is usually so exhausted he falls asleep on the couch around 8:30.

2 moms found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

S.F.

answers from Reno on

My sons were in bed no later than 7:30pm on weeknights and 8pm on weekends at that age. Generally it was earlier. The more sleep the better!

However, the trade off for the earlier (and necessary, in my humble opinion) bedtime were evening activities. Oh, well. More sleep equals better grades in school, better health and a better overall attitude, so for my family it was worth it. Not all families agree.

Good luck!

2 moms found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

G.B.

answers from Oklahoma City on

Our kids bedtime has always been 9pm. They go right down without much fuss and sleep solid until about 6:45 to 7am.

She gets straight A's too.

1 mom found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

W.M.

answers from Nashville on

We have an 8 yr old, second grader. He goes to bed at 8:00-8:15, lights out. We think he lays in bed playing for a few mins though and sometimes comes back downstairs too. We have to get up at the same time for school, I tend to think he acts better when he has at least 10 hours of sleep. I would have her get in bed by 8 and read and then lights out by 8:30. Or try reading by 7:45 and lights out by 8:15 and maybe she will fall asleep by 8:30-8:45. Tell her that everytime she gets up she will go to bed 15 mins earlier the next night.

1 mom found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

S.H.

answers from St. Louis on

you know, 9pm-6:45am is a pretty good night's sleep. More than 9 1/2 hours!

It sounds pretty good to me, but I would still shoot for 8:30....to try to hit the 10 hour mark.

1 mom found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

J.G.

answers from Cleveland on

School nights all the school age kids (4, 6 & 7) are in bed by 8:00... not that they go right to sleep. And I get them up at 7:15 to get ready for school - sometimes with a fight. Weekends if they are being good they stay up till when they deside to go to bed with a cut off of 10 at the latest, but it sometimes seems like it is easier to get them up on the weekends then during the week - go figure.

I always thought a good nights sleep for kids was 10-12 hours and adults was 8-10 hours, with babies almost sleeping all the time... but double check with her doc as to what a good night is and make your bedtime choose from there.

1 mom found this helpful

L.L.

answers from Rochester on

My child is only six and a half, in first grade, but she goes to bed at eight every night except Friday and I don't plan on changing that anytime in the next five years or so. On Friday I let her stay up until 10, just so she and I can have some alone time after the baby goes to bed.

Try starting her bedtime routine earlier. You don't mention what time you actually put her to bed or what her routine is. For mine, she's in bed by eight, and I let her read until 8:45 and then it's lights out. She falls asleep immediately, and sometimes asks for me to turn the light out sooner.

L.A.

answers from Austin on

At 7 she would take her bath at 7:30 and we tried to have her asleep by 8:30.. We read a lot at night.. Sometimes up to 2 hours if the book was awesome.. She still stays up late, but can get up early.

K.*.

answers from Los Angeles on

We want my almost 7 year old in bed by 8:30pm, but it's usually 9:00am and he wakes up around 7:00am to leave for school by 8:15am (starts at 8:45am). We let them stay up late on the weekend...he's still partying making Lego creations right now (9:05pm) :)

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

M.P.

answers from Portland on

My grandchildren at that age went to bed between 7:30 and 9 and were up around 6:30-7:00. They went thru a stage in which they kept getting up. Their mother was just very consistent about sending them back to bed without whatever they were asking for. No conversation. Just back to bed you go. They did take sippy cups with water to bed with them which stopped the one more drink excuse.

Their bedtime was the same during the week and on week ends.

Their bedtime didn't change to 9 until they were 9.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

R.J.

answers from Seattle on

For us it's always depended on what time they need to be up. My son needs about 10 hours of sleep.

If we're getting up at 4am, he goes to bed at 6pm (our winter schedule)
If we're getting up at 10am he goes to bed at midnight. (summer schedule)

If we're in S. Italy (where one naps from apx 2pm-5pm every day) he goes to bed around 1am and gets up about 8am.

Most elementary aged kids need 10-12 hours of sleep.

IN THE US present day: Most get up between 6am & 7am for school. Which means most go to bed *around* 8pm

IN THE US pre WWII, most families ate dinner around 8pm and kids were in bed by 10pm.... because (wait for it) they needed to be up by 8am.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

S.C.

answers from Des Moines on

How many hours of sleep does she need to be a decent human being? Count back from 6:45 and add half an hour for falling to sleep.....

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

L.C.

answers from Boston on

Hi M.,
Your 2nd grader sounds like my middle daughter.. Sometimes if we lay with her for a bit.. it calms them down, to help fall asleep. (but be careful if you dont' want that to become a nightly request!) also, sometimes i let her read by herself for 15 minutes.. then go check on her, and make sure the light's turned out. All my girls, ages 7,8 and 10 have an 8pm bedtime. It's hard to stick to it.. but they ALL really need their sleep! so base it on his/her individual sleep needs as well. Too many trips 'downstairs' from the bedroom will result in taking away their favorite blanket!
: ) L.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

C.R.

answers from Kansas City on

My daughter use to go to bed at 9 but would not fall asleep until 10:30 or 11pm. This year I have a preschooler, kindergartner, and a fifth grader and they ALL go to bed at 8:30pm. They do not get up for anything because if they do they get a little swat on the bottom and are told to go back to bed. They learned in the first week that mom was serious about bedtime during the week. On the weekends I will stretch it to 9 for my younger ones and to 10 for my fifth grader.

A.M.

answers from Kansas City on

My daughter is 6 1/2 and in first grade. She is in bed at 8:30 pm and up at 6:30ish (am)...she is like me...she has to have at least 8 hours and once the sun is up and in the room she is awake.

Weekends we try to keep the same bedtime schedule but generally do not make it. Last night she was out until midnight...GASP...she attended her first ever concert!

For Updates and Special Promotions
Follow Us

Related Questions