Do you let your kids read themselves to sleep, or listen to sleep?

[melissel]

We used to let DD5 "read" herself to sleep, before she could really read. It worked well--she'd eventually conk out on her own. But when she taught herself to actually read, I discovered that she stays up later than she normally would when she's reading or listening to audio stories. Of course, she eventually does fall asleep, and it really helps to reduce the calling and requests for attention when she's just laying there in the silence. And given our issues right now, I really need for our day to END at 9:00 p.m., and get extremely frustrated when I have to go down there repeatedly (she's very persistent).

WDYT? Is it so bad to just let her read herself to sleep? I also hate to discourage free reading! Hmm, maybe I should put an end to the audio stuff but let her read until she can't keep her eyes open anymore...

TIA!

[Crissy]

My boys listen to audio books every night as they are going to sleep. They usually check out a stack of CDs from the library each week, or we buy a favorite for their birthday or Christmas.
I prefer audio to a real book at night because there is a definite end. They'd read all night long, but our audio rule is one CD then they must sleep.

[KristineIN]

I allow reading for a certain amount of time and then lights out, usually they can read for 15 minutes to a half an hour. Dd reads all the time, I mainly allow reading so that my ds will read. My 6 year old is not reading yet, and is usually tired anyway. My daughter wears glasses, so reading to sleep is not really an option. I'll be curious to see what other say.

Kristine

[LisaTheresa]

I let my son read himself to sleep each night. I don't require any reading during the day and he looks forward to reading at bedtime. While it does keep him up later than I'd like at times, it's still working out well for us for now.

Lisa

[Janet in WA]

Our sons were allowed to read themselves to sleep from the day they were old enough to hold a book in their cribs. We never discontinued this privilege. And we never had problems with little boys bothering us after their bedtimes.

[strider]

We also found that reading right up until she went to sleep meant that dd's mind was awake when she needed to be going to sleep.

My dd is 11yo. She is allowed a final ten minutes to read at 8pm, then she can work on something quiet in her room until 8:45. She usually does crafts of some sort. I tuck her in at 8:45 for the night.

I do NOT put up with kids calling me from bed. The rule in our house is you have to be sick (not just a little bit, either! ;) or bleeding to yell for Mom after bedtime. My 6yo ds has a harder time remembering--when he calls, I just yell back something like, "Ds you're in bed now and need to be quiet." Usually the reminder is enough.

[susie in tx]

I used to do this as a teen. I always felt guilty for doing it. My girls have always had an option to read before they went to bed. I even purchased one of them a special book light. But they are just not interested. They like their sleep more, I guess.

[dangermom]

Our girls are allowed to read for about half an hour before lights out. It's a nice winding-down time for them. The older one, who is 7, has been having trouble with sleeping, so she's got a little booklight and is allowed to read with it if she can't sleep. I don't think she usually conks out during the story, though; she turns the light off and goes to sleep. And they listen to a nice CD after lights out.

[Susan in TX]

I don't think there's anything wrong with letting your daughter read herself to sleep even if it means she stays awake longer. I think it would only be a problem if she is consistently cranky because she isn't getting enough sleep.

Susan in TX

[Tonia]

I don't think there's anything wrong with letting your daughter read herself to sleep even if it means she stays awake longer. I think it would only be a problem if she is consistently cranky because she isn't getting enough sleep.


This was me as a child. I would read all night if I was into a good book. I still do that actually! And I was usually cranky the next day. I needed a time limit. It doesn't hurt to try it out and if they stay up too late, give them a time limit.

[nmoira]

I tried it with my oldest a couple years ago and she didn't pass out until about 3 am. She reads very quickly, and there would be a huge pile of books beside her the next morning. Now, I've read Mrs. Piggle Wiggle, so I let it continue for awhile, thinking things would regulate after a week or so. :) I finally had to pull the plug on the experiment three weeks in.

[Mom2legomaniacs]

Mine read a bit before bed and then when lights go out, they listen to music (usually either The Beach Boys or Sheryl Crow -- those are the current faves).

[clane]

I let DS read until 9pm, then it is lights out. He would still be reading at 2am if I let him.

[whitestavern]

I have a 7 yo dd and a 5 yo ds and she will go to bed at the same time as my son (7-7:30) but she can read til 8. She has a little watch by her bed and 99% of the time, when I check to see if her light's out, it is. If not, it's usually because she's almost done with a chapter and wants to finish it. I say just put them in bed earlier than usual if you think it will be a problem. But they may just get sleepy enough as they're reading to send themselves off to dreamland (I know it works for me!)

[profmom]

Our dc are supposed to be ready for bed at 8:00, and then they can stay up reading in their beds until 9:00.

[Plaid Dad]

My dd reads herself to sleep most nights. On occasion I've had to go in and enforce "lights out," but generally I don't. She's a night owl by nature and doesn't have to get up early to be anywhere, so I figure why not let her read?

[Carol in Cal.]

1. She doesn't read secretly in the dark and ruin her eyes, as I did.
2. She reads. When DD was a reluctant emerging reader, I told her that she could stay up as late as she wanted if she was in bed reading a book. This is what really hooked her on reading.

[Jenny in Atl]

I allow both mine to read or listen to audio bks w/o a set time. Both have always gone to bed within a reasonable time, but we, as a family, tend to be night owls.

[Kay in Cal]

Ours are allowed to read (or listen to audiobooks), although the 4yo can't really "read" yet. He tends to conk out early. Our 6yo is a night owl who reads 1-2 hours every night. We very rarely enforce lights out, because he just sleeps later in the morning if he needs to. We'd rather sleep later ourselves! But if it gets to be midnight (which does occasionally happen), I may go in and confiscate the reading lamp.

[Tutor]

Our 4yo and 7yo go to bed at 8pm, and we let them read until 8:30 then turn out the light. Our 9yo and 11yo go to bed at 9pm and are allowed to read themselves to sleep. Our 11yo is usually asleep by 10pm, but the 9yo is a night owl and can read until pretty late, but dh or I will turn out her light at 11pm.

[Daisy]

My kids read in bed from 7pm to 8pm. Lights out at 8pm. They are usually asleep within about 10 min after lights out. I'd let them stay up a bit later but they are ticked off it they don't get to read for an hour sooo, who am I to argue. :D

[melissel]

Thanks everyone! I've been letting her stay up to listen to CDs, but she's been staying up later and still waking at the same time each, and it's showing in her moods. Darn it! She accidentally broke her booklight, so when we get her a new one, I'm going to switch to letting her read until she falls asleep and see if that works better.

I must say, also, that it's so nice to be able to do this for her (in spite of the next-day grumples, of course). I would have LOVED to stay up late every night reading, but of course we always had to get up early the next day. Just another reason I heart homeschooling!

[sdWTMer]

Like Crissy's boys, my boys also listen to audio books at night as well. Thank goodness for us though they have shuffles so I no longer have to fuss with cd's! Aaaaahhhh.

[Kat in GA]

Both of my girls read themselves to sleep each night. I usually tuck my youngest into bed with a book...and in the morning there is a big pile of them by her bed...perhaps there just in case she finished one?! My philosophy is that bedtime is for me, not them. I need a time for them to be in their rooms being quiet...so that I can do things that I need to do...and more importantly, want to do :)

[Robin Hood]

I haven't solved this one yet. 9yodd will read until I say lights out. Then she lays awake for hours. She's often awake until 11:00. I, too, just want my day with the kids to be done at 8:00.