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Start of the School Year Stresses

Start of the School Year Stresses

Is It Really Bedtime?

At what point should we stop being frustrated with our kids getting out of bed because they’re not tired? So, the later summer hours have definitely had an impact on our kids since the start of the new school year. One of our kids, in particular, has been up later than most summer nights. We’re not sure what we should do, but we have a few thoughts on the reasons.

Understanding the School Year Stresses

First, as previously mentioned, the kids loved staying up later during the summer. Their bedtimes ranged anywhere between 8pm and 9pm each night, while the school year was usually between 6:30pm and 7:30pm. It could be that it’s just too difficult to get to bed with it being too bright out. So, for the first time in my life, come on “Fall Forward” with the time change!

Second, it could be the new academic schedule for their school. This year their afternoons are packed with academics without any (noticeable) breaks to stretch those legs and get those bodies moving. So, perhaps the kids aren’t as tired, because they’re not getting the usual exercise that they’re accustomed to. They played hard over the summer, so it’s possible they need to get used to not having as much activity during the school year.

Lastly, there could be some anxiety with the new school year too. It’s possible that one of our kids is experiencing more nervousness, because the schedule is new and there hasn’t been enough time to adapt to it. That anxiousness could be what’s causing some of those sleepless nights, so we’ve encouraged her and reassured her that it will get easier. Fortunately, back-to-school night is soon, so we can share our concerns with the teacher directly.

Stay This Madness

It’s not easy being a parent when you feel that almost every day involves some level of frustration. There’s that sense of your kids feeling that same frustration. But as a parent, you’re also balancing the line of strict versus lenient. When in all reality, you just want to show them that you love them unconditionally, so they’ll know that when they succeed or struggle with that thing called life. It’s not easy. I just want them to know we’ll be here for them, even when it seems we might be coming down hard on them. So, when they keep getting out of bed, it’s hard to fix that problem, because we were kids once. Going to bed early was never one of my strengths as a kid. I felt like a night owl from the word go.

So, what are parents to do when facing the “I can’t go to sleep” dilemma? Do you let your kids stay up later through the school year? Do you wait to see if it will go back to the way it was? Or do you take it day by day? We’d love to hear your thoughts on this subject, because we’re definitely much whinier since the start of the school year.

For the time being, I’ll pour myself a glass of wine and try to prep myself for another, “Okay, let’s get back to bed.”

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This Post Has 2 Comments

  1. I think the key is that they have to be in their rooms, but not necessarily in bed. I’m a natural night owl; have been since a child and I remember laying in the dark, bored and lonely and unable to sleep. But that’s not okay for some kids, like my highly social daughter who hates to be alone. IT’s a skill for her to learn and we’re trying to encourage her.

    WE still have a lot of playtime in the evenings after school in our neighborhood and that helps the kids stay tired. My son wakes up really early and I hate that he has no respect for clocks. But we’ll see how this year goes!

    1. Thank you for sharing! We might try letting them be in their rooms, but not in bed, to see if that gives them a little more freedom to ease into their bedtimes. That’s a great idea!

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