Staggered bedtime?

[kumber]

A family member is pushing me towards a staggered bedtime for my two boys. They both currently go to bed at 7pm, one is 3 and one is 2. There's 14 months between them and they share a bedroom.

We attempted a staggered bedtime about 6 months ago but DS2 can take anything up to 2 hours to fall asleep, regardless of how much he's napped in the day, whereas DS1 passes out pretty much immediately, so it seems rather pointless? What are your thoughts and experiences please?

 

[Rooster30]

If your current bedtime works then leave it be

 

[kumber]

Thanks, I thought the same. They just keep going on about it can't happen when he's at school (he starts next year) but he'll still be going to bed at 7!

 

[dolly26]

Hun I would tell them to butt out. If it works for you and the boys leave well alone. And having a go routine will stand him well for school x

 

[Rose83]

Kumber you probably know enough about me from on here that I don't take any crap from family members trying to butt in! No one knows your children like you do and I don't see the point of staggered bedtime at all, if anything it might create more problems when one understands the other gets to stay up later! As a teacher as well I would say that children need their sleep and I doubt that the staggered bedtime would lead to a staggered waking up time and so effectively you are cutting the sleep of one for no reason. Plus the last thing you want right now before baby 3 is to mess around with an established routine. There's 15 months between my first two and will be 17 months between this next one and my second and everyone will be going to bed at the same time. I'm just sleep training my son at the moment to not need me to cuddle him to sleep and it's hard work so if you have a routine that's working then don't mess with it!! X

 

[kumber]

Thanks ladies, I needed that kick up the bum!

 

[Hoping for no2]

Ours go at different times but there's 5 years between them, they are 3 and nearly 8. As yours are so close in age I'd personally put them down at the same time, it's only when they get to my oldest son's age that they need less sleep - he's comfortable now with 10 hours and wakes up really early he goes too early. The youngest still has 11-12 hours, sometimes longer! X

 

[kumber]

Thanks lovely, that's reassuring to know. I did think it was a bit odd to stagger bedtimes at such a young age, but then I was also told to reintroduce a nap for a 3 year old to facilitate a staggered bedtime which seemed a bit mad!