What's a good bedtime for a 4yr old?

Sarah - posted on 10/28/2011

does he have to wake up at a certain time ?? he needs 12 hrs. of sleep :)

Amber - posted on 12/13/2010

My son, who is 4, goes down between 8:30- 9pm. He has pre-school now and has to be up betwen 7:30- 8. It gives him plenty of sleep and he usually wakes up on his own.



His bed time used to be later (9:30-10) because his dad wouldn't get home from the ER until 9:30, so it gave him an opportunity to have bed time routines with both of us.

It all just depends on the child. Some children need more sleep, and some need less.

Bonnie - posted on 12/13/2010

I have a 4 year old and he is usually asleep between 8 and 9pm, more like 8pm if he has school the next day. He usually gets up to get ready for school at around 7/7:30am.

Dezra - posted on 12/13/2010

Hi, I'm Dezra. My son D'Andre is 4 (last friday lol) and he has a bed time of 8pm. We always make sure he's in bed by 8. If he has school, or an outing in the morning,then he goes down earlier x

Krista - posted on 09/20/2010

Preschoolers need about 10-12 hours a night, from what I've read. If you want him to have a more consistent bedtime, it helps if you get a consistent bedtime routine done up. So for example, if you want him in bed by 8pm (which to me, sounds like a reasonable bedtime for that age), then you can give him his bath at 7:20, then jammies, a little snack, then toothbrushing, then a story or two, and then it's lights-out. If you keep doing this consistently, then his internal clock will start making him tired right around that time.

Callie - posted on 09/20/2010

My son has had a 10pm bedtime since he was only a couple months old, and now he's 3 1/2.

Kate CP - posted on 09/20/2010

Well Sherri, my daughter doesn't have to get up in the morning until 8am so between 8-9 works for us. If she had to get up earlier her bedtime would be earlier.

Sherri - posted on 09/20/2010

My kids would love you Kate. My 12 & 13 yr old still have a bedtime of 9pm. Actually that is increased from 8:30pm last year and they were 11 & 12 then.

Teresa - posted on 09/20/2010

For my girls it was 6:30-7 since they had to be up at 6:30 to get ready for school and they needed 12 hours/night.

Joan - posted on 09/20/2010

hi

when my kids were little they always had a bed time of 8:00. this gave me and my husband time to have time together, as well as gave them a good nights sleep.

Kate CP - posted on 09/20/2010

Between 8 and 9 for my 4 year old. Depends on how sleepy she's acting. Never later than 9.

Sherri - posted on 09/20/2010

7:30pm is acceptable at this age no later than 8pm.

Amy - posted on 09/20/2010

My son is 4 and goes to bed at 8:30, he doesn't have to get up in the morning. Before I had his sister his bedtime was 10 but again he was able to sleep till whenever. He started waking up when his sister would eat in the am and was cranky all day, I gradually pulled it back so he could adjust.

Jodi - posted on 09/20/2010

My 5 year old is at school this year, and her bedtime is 8pm - she has to be up at about 7:30am to get ready for school. Any later than that and she struggles.

You should take into account what time he has to be up in the morning, and make sure you allow around 11-13 hours sleep (it depends on the child). If you are having to wake him in the morning all the time, he is not getting enough sleep, so you should consider an earlier bedtime. If he is waking up too early, he may cope with a slightly later bedtime. That's how I've always judged it for my kids. And it really does depend on the kid, because my son needed a lot more sleep at that age than my daughter did.