What time should I put the kids to bed?

soapdoctor · 12/05/12 - 13:55

Okay, I'm 15 and I'm babysitting tonight. I'm having to look after my 4 cousins, aged 2,5,7 and another 7 year old. I have no clue what time would be appropriate for them to go to bed,can you help me please?

Thank you in advance:)

elasticlove · 12/05/12 - 13:57

Ask their parent.

Sophie ~Oohie~ · 12/05/12 - 13:59

They haven't got school tomorrow so maybe a bit later than whatever time they go to bed on weekdays.

cjsmummy · 12/05/12 - 14:12

elasticlove wrote: »

Ask their parent.

This^

How are we supposed to know the kids' routine?:D

myview · 12/05/12 - 14:13

well exactly. as a babysitter you should know better

ask the parent what the routine is, any medical notes etc....

grumpyscot · 12/05/12 - 14:21

I agree you should ask the parents, but using our grand-kids as a rule of thumb at the weekend:

Age 2 - 7pm, Age 5 - 8pm, age 7 - 8:30pm,

fizzle90 · 12/05/12 - 15:18

I'm also babysitting tonight, my cousins are 2 and 5. I let then go to bed a little later than they're usually allowed as I find if I try and put them to bed at 7.30/8.30 they won't settle.

Especially the two year old. I can just put the 5 yr old in his bed and he'll watch a film or something but the 2 yr old needs to be really tired before she'll go down, so I'll probably just let her run around until she's tired and wants to go to bed - it's usually around 9pm. Then she'll fall straight asleep without stirring, hopefully! That's what usually happens anyway.

lym · 12/05/12 - 15:19

You ask the parents, not random people on the internet...

CloneClown · 12/05/12 - 15:24

Sophie ~Oohie~ wrote: »

They haven't got school tomorrow so maybe a bit later than whatever time they go to bed on weekdays.

No s**t Sherlock!

Its-Gillian · 12/05/12 - 17:49

I can't add to what other fm have said.... Ask their parents!

3PS · 12/05/12 - 18:13

Maybe she doesn't want to ask the parents as she is trying to show how great her babysitting skills are.

TWS · 12/05/12 - 18:24

3PS wrote: »

Maybe she doesn't want to ask the parents as she is trying to show how great her babysitting skills are.

well not asking shows the opposite, a good babysitter would want to know their routine so as not to deviate from it along with dietary needs, i dont actually leave my kids and if i do the most is an hour so if i had a babysitter they would get an essay along with monitoring phonecalls

i wouldnt leave my kids with anyone but my mum:o

SeasideLady · 12/05/12 - 19:54

soapdoctor wrote: »

Okay, I'm 15 and I'm babysitting tonight. I'm having to look after my 4 cousins, aged 2,5,7 and another 7 year old. I have no clue what time would be appropriate for them to go to bed,can you help me please?

Thank you in advance:)

You'll have your work cut out looking after four kids when you're only 15 ! I would expect them all to be in bed by 9.00. As others have said, you should ask their parents for their bedtime routines and try and stick to it. Hopefully they will have told the kids to do what you tell them and behave for you. On the rare occasions I used a sitter, I made sure my two boys knew well in advance what was going to happen and that I expected them to be good lads for whoever it was, and they always were

.

stud u like · 12/05/12 - 20:01

I thought you had to be 16 to babysit. 4 children to look after at 15 is a great responsibility.

I also thought you had to be registered and certified to give first aid.

rockerchick · 12/05/12 - 20:06

My 5 y/o goes to bed at 7pm

doctorwhofancal · 12/05/12 - 20:10

Okay:

2 Year Old- Should Be In Now
5 Year Old- Next 20 Minutes
7 Year Olds- 9PM

peon · 12/05/12 - 20:13

soapdoctor wrote: »

Okay, I'm 15 and I'm babysitting tonight. I'm having to look after my 4 cousins, aged 2,5,7 and another 7 year old. I have no clue what time would be appropriate for them to go to bed,can you help me please?

Thank you in advance:)

what time have you told the love interest to turn up? i suggest at least 30 mins before that.

primer · 12/05/12 - 20:13

let 'em stay up as late as they want. they'll fall asleep when they are tired.

and there's no school tomorrow.

stud u like · 12/05/12 - 20:17

doctorwhofancal wrote: »

Okay:

2 Year Old- Should Be In Now
5 Year Old- Next 20 Minutes
7 Year Olds- 9PM

9pm for a 7 year old? I was in bed by 7.30 at that age.

I was 13 when I went to bed at 9pm.

doctorwhofancal · 12/05/12 - 20:21

stud u like wrote: »

9pm for a 7 year old? I was in bed by 7.30 at that age.

I was 13 when I went to bed at 9pm.

Well its not school and if they are watching BGT its only fair to let them watch most of it

MrsWatermelon · 12/05/12 - 20:55

stud u like wrote: »

9pm for a 7 year old? I was in bed by 7.30 at that age.

I was 13 when I went to bed at 9pm.

Is it really a surprise that different families and different children have different bed times?

Voynich · 12/05/12 - 21:00

You realise they've probably emptied the contents of the fridge in the bin and put the hamster down the toilet and flushed while you're on here posting.

grumpyscot · 13/05/12 - 12:19

stud u like wrote: »

I thought you had to be 16 to babysit. 4 children to look after at 15 is a great responsibility.

I also thought you had to be registered and certified to give first aid.

There is no legal definition of how old you must be. The NSPCC ADVISE 16 as the youngest you should be, but there is nothing to say that a 12 - 15 year old cannot babysit on a friend / relation basis.

Also, there is no requirement to be registered and first aid certified UNLESS the child-minding is done as a business. Otherwise, 99.9% of grand-parents and parents in this country wouldn't be allowed to look after children!

peacelily · 13/05/12 - 19:03

I like mine to get a good nights sleep generally, so they aren't grouchy and tired the next morning.

4 year old approx 6.30pm
8 year old approx 7.30pm (I do let her watch a short DVD to fall asleep to, or read a book. I go and turn the sound down at 8.30pm)

Hey there!

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