your opinion

stephrodgers07 · December 2013

I'd just like to see what your opinion would be on this. I'm just curious.

Most of the time my DS goes to bed somewhere between 7:30 to 8:30 (He's never been much for a schedule). On Wednesdays, we have church. My husband's the youth pastor so we end up staying late. But usually we go out to dinner after church. Just something we've always done. We get through with dinner about 9:30 sometimes closer to 10.

Someone commented that I shouldn't keep him out that late.

What do you think? This is weekly. Sometimes 2 nights a week.

We're always on the go and he tags right along with us. I don't think it's an issue at all, but I know many that would never do that.

Again, out of curiosity, what do you think?

MagickalNarwhal · December 2013

Depends on the baby. My son would have been in hysterics and it would have thrown us off for a day or two, with crabby non-napping overtiredness. I learned the hard way and stuck to a decent bedtime with him,

This baby is so easy and flexible now that I would be ok pushing it with her. I'd probably put herf in the ergo so that if she wanted to fall asleep for a bit she could.

momofcatan · December 2013

If it's a problem you would know much better than "someone". If your baby is happy I wouldn't change anything.

mhickey426 · December 2013

my dd would be a mess if we kept her out that late. She is always so good except bedtime when she becomes very cranky. She wants to go to bed when she wants to go to bed! I have gotten away with coming home around 8 - 8:30 but if it was 9 or 10 she would be screaming.

Some kids can handle it but I do think that they should be home and not out that late.

bibby32714 · December 2013

I think its a decsion you need to make based on your baby and your lifestyles. This wouldn't work for our family, but its not part of our schedule.

LisaLisa1980 · December 2013

DS would kill me if I did that lol wouldn't work for us

=Lee=B · December 2013

We can pull that off from time to time but not twice a week. My daughter tends to be on her best behavior while out, even when past her bedtime but once we get home she flips the switch and loses it until we get her to sleep (not usually an easy task on those nights).

I would note that you will likely find this gets harder to do as your baby ages. A few months ago we could have done it more often, now at 9months could do it from time to time I fully expect that in another couple months it would be a no go. Kids need routine and consistency and it would just start to mess them up as they get older.

As pretty much everyone else here has said, it is totally up to you and whether your child can cope with it. It's not up to random people to tell you when your kid should be in bed. So if you choose to continue just have a response on hand should this or another person comment again. Even something like "we really lucked out in that little so-and-so is easy going and is able to sleep in tomorrow after being out late. It also makes me a much better mommy to have some social time"

cole1265 · December 2013

I think it's fine. My husband and I go on date night once a week so my mom takes my son . Which means he doesn't get into his crib at night until 10ish. He usually just takes an extra nap the next day. You are the parent. You know what is ok for your LO. I say as long as it isn't an every night thing, you are fine!!

teach1008 · December 2013

I can't even stay up that late :-* If your baby doesn't crack up then you might as well keep doing it while you can. At some point this may change, but enjoy it for now!

taraleanne · December 2013

LisaLisa1980 said:

DS would kill me if I did that lol wouldn't work for us

Bah, this! MY DS has to be in bed by 7. He set his own schedule. If I tried to keep him up he would only be a cranky mess - not worth it. Makes it hard to go out in the evening for dinner or anything but this is life now.

erinmc1 · December 2013

People are always going to have something to say, when it's ONLY YOU who have the responsibility of making sure he's well-rested and scheduled.

I know I'm going to be judged for this, but once in a while I take my son with me to a local bar-restaurant where they put on trivia on Monday nights. We don't stay past 9 (his bedtime is 9:30), they are kid friendly, and there are sometimes families still eating when we get there a little before 8, but some people are just aghast that I would take my baby to a bar. Screw 'em. My little guy loves the music and people watching, and I'm responsible about attending to him. It allows me to have a bit of a social life with my childless friends, and still spend time with my son. We stick to a loose schedule, but his life isn't so rigid that he can't adapt to a deviation from the norm. When he ges old enough that he's not content to just sit on my lap or in his high chair for that hour or so, it'll stop, but for now...judge away.

Pitterpatter44 · December 2013

No judging from me! If I could get away with it, I'd be there too! However LO must be in bed by 7ish or she's not happy. And if Baby ain't happy, ain't nobody happy.

KKillian1029 · December 2013

First off its your flippen kid no one else should you shouldn't care what people think!!

HML5382 · December 2013

I am normally a very rigidly scheduled mama as far as meals, naps, and bedtimes go. However, since my 3 year old was born I have done one night a week at my mom's house. She picks up my girls and watches them while I work for a couple hours in the afternoon, then we have dinner, and I put them to bed there a little later than their normal bedtimes so I can spend some time just hanging out with my mom. Then at like 10:30/11:00 I get them up, stick them in the car, and bring them home to go back to bed.

This totally disrupts their sleep, but they usually sleep in a bit the next morning and/or take a longer nap the next day to make up for it. It has not adversely effected them in any way that I can see, in fact I feel it has made them more flexible about where they sleep and they're pretty pleasant when I have to wake them up to bring them home. They have gotten used to these little disruptions because it's something we've always done, and it really comes in handy on vacations and holidays when we want to mess up their schedules without them melting down.

While this isn't the same exact scenario as you're in, it's close enough to where my opinion is that what you're doing is not a big deal. If your son is happy and healthy, he's obviously making up for the lost sleep somewhere, so I wouldn't worry about it.

ashsteb · December 2013

Personally I think that if your baby seems happy with the schedule you have him on then there's nothing wrong with it. You know your baby better than anyone else, go with your gut feeling.

jlpev · December 2013

teach1008 said:
I can't even stay up that late :-* If your baby doesn't crack up then you might as well keep doing it while you can. At some point this may change, but enjoy it for now!

This

GRJC · January 2014

If it works for you and your baby I say go for it, but if your baby is grumpy the next day or has problems going to bed late/getting up at night then I would say you may want to stick to a more consistent bed time.

Do what works for you and your baby!

EJSparents · January 2014

If your LO seems to handle being out late that's fine. Our little guy goes with us almost everywhere. IF we're planning to be out later, we dress him in a sleeper so he will he will be comfy she he falls asleep at his usual time of 8-8:30 and sleeps in his carrier. We then will just transfer him to his crib when we get home.

I like that he doesn't have to be in his room to sleep and can handle being out.

My niece is two weeks older than he is and they have missed a few family events because of her bed time routine.

Lolalipsy · January 2014

I think if your LO is happy with this and they still get enough sleep (10-14hours a day) then why not.

BC&LM · January 2014

I think people should mind their own business. If it works for you, who are they to judge? We occasionally keep LO out late when we are visiting family, and if he gets tired, he just goes to sleep.

AprilloMom · January 2014

Fellow youth pastor's wife here!

I think as long as he handles it well, then it's no big deal. If he slept horribly or if it throws off his next day, maybe you should get home a little sooner. Sundays are our hard days. My sons normal 1st (and best) nap is around 10, on Sundays we are at church until 12:30, then we usually go out to eat with friends/students. We don't get home until 2. He gets tired, but as long as there is a lot going on it keeps him entertained so he doesn't fall apart.

We get home and he crashes. Sometimes he will still take an evening nap..sometimes not. It works for us...for now anyway.

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