Bedtime bad behaviour

Is a bit early for bedtime I would have thought 7. To 7.30 would be an ideal time for children that age. Probably why they won’t settle there not really tired.

I wonder what happens on holiday. Do the poor little mites get packed off to bed at this time.

Whilst I understand they are your grandchildren and that parents choose and set bedtimes, I’d say their current bedtimes are very early and that even 6pm is early for 5 & 7 year olds especially during the holidays ! I’d say they’re simply not tired physically or mentally ! I’d be inclined to keep their meal times at this time, Bath around 6pm and then sit them down in PJs o watch a suitable film or tv programme with a small snack and drink then clean teeth, short story and into bed for 7:30pm-ish

I agree, that's far to early at that age to send them to bed.

No wonder they are playing up getting ready for bed at tea time they are probably not tired enough to wind down, I know we all have different ways with children but it is rather early
My three year old grandson starts getting ready for at 6.30 it’s bath story bed

Again I'm agreeing with others. That's just too early. My 4 year old grandson would be playing outside until after 7pm.

I should add that they live a very active life, walking quite a distance to school and getting out and about at weekends and whilst on school holidays.

Our GC go to bed at 7 and GS (2) is usually very troublesome. He doesn't sleep well either,sometimes waking many times a night. He seems to need a snooze at lunchtime and it makes no difference in the evenings whether he has a nap or not. I'm hoping that he gets better over time, and personally would put him to bed later, but DD is someone who has very set ideas of what she wants.

In that case I'd make up my own bedtime routine when they were at my house. An active day, later bedtime, bedtime story and leave some jigsaws and books or other toys that can be played with quietly on their own in the bedroom. If they come out of the room after that jyst lead them back in, reiterate your bedroom rules, don't engage in conversation with them, and leave them. You may have to do that a few times, but at that age they should realise you mean business and you can be quite strict. Children can adapt to different rules and routines in different houses.
Do they behave at school and do as thir teachers ask them I wonder?

That is very early to be going to bed if they went later they would feel more tired and more ready for bed. We have 7 GC aged from 5 to 12 the earliest the younger ones go to bed is 7 pm. If they go to bed too early they wake up very early.

Break the routine and don’t tell the children. I like the idea of hiding the clocks too. Don’t tell the parents you altered their routine time. If you tell their parents, this may be the last sleepover.
Good luck.

Gosh that is an early bedtime, as others have pointed out (sorry to repeat what's already been mentioned).
My twin grandchildren have just turned 5 and their bedtime is around 7.30pm, especially now its school holidays. A good meal at teatime which is most welcome after a day of activities, CBeebies (or similar) and then bath (not every night), story then bed. It works well.
Good Luck

If you have Sky, their on demand service is showing four series of the Three Day Nanny (Kathryn Mewes). Very helpful and insightful on this problem among others.

Goodness me that is early....far to early. They will not be tired that early so bound to be problems. Children need to use up their energy during the day as well. Are they allowed to do that?

Clearly trying too early!

Yes but it has to be a L-O-N-G walk, and not involving push-chairs! Obviously they’re not getting enough exercise during the day. If they were really tired they’d sleep.

What time do these children get up in the morning?

I was their ages in the 1950s and my parents were firmly convinced that children needed 12 hours sleep a night so we were sent to bed at 7 p.m.

I couldn't sleep at that time and lay awake for hours, not daring to get out of bed again.

I think you are fully justified in saying that unless this behaviour stops you cannot have the children staying with you again. It is simply too tiring dealing with their bedtime.

Have you tried putting them to bed without a story, closing their doors and leaving them to it?

It sounds to me the kind of behaviour that is only fun if the children clearly can see that it is winding their parents and grandparents up.

It might well stop if you ignore it, unless you can come up with whatever you and the children's parents feel is the socially acceptable replacement for the smacked bottom that this behaviour would have resulted in in my childhood.

I am not advocating smacking children, but you have to be able to draw a line somewhere and somehow.

I agree with other comments, 5pm is far too early for children of any age!
Actually, you and your OH might consider watching episodes of Super Nanny on YouTube, she endorses a bedtime routine that works! Have a look a a few episodes yourselves and then recommend them to DS and DIL, by allowing the children to fool around and interacting with them they are making matters worse and spoiling the special time for you and your OH when you look after the GC.

I am having a bedtime issue tonight so I really do feel for you. Great grandson 3 is staying overnight, not something he usually does and he is just not cooperating at all.
There must be a reason so many children do not like bedtime, if anyone figures it out let me know as well

Bed time is too early for them . I know it’s not your call but I wouldn’t start the bedtime wind down until 6.15 - maybe bath, milk or drink/snack, teeth and story. Snuggle down time 730 on a school night/maybe fractionally later on weekend/holiday. It’s always worked for us.

Sounds like they are going to bed far too early, would of thought 7pm with a bath at 6.30. I’m try to organise a good run around prior to tea time either at a local park or in the garden. After tea maybe a little TV then let them do their reading. Make sure they get nothing with Efactors in or chocolate as they can put children on a high! Bath and then bedtime stories. It’s important to get them calm before story time , and maybe a little bribery if they settle down quietly for a treat the next day. Good luck

I have two granddaughters 7 and 9 and have had them overnight on various occasions since birth. I have never made them go to bed early, they went to bed around 7.30pm at home but it was more 9pm at mine, it was usually a weekend anyway. My house, my rules. But I would have been the same babysitting them at home. I don’t send them earlier for precisely that reason, they don’t seem ready for bed.

Have you tried doing a star chart for each of them - maybe you could have a chat with the parents too … they sound like they could do with some help in establishing a realistic sleep pattern - from you or dr internet ! They must be knackered themselves - wore me out just reading what they get up to.
Everyone needs a little help sometimes - unfortunately kids don’t come with a user manual!

Clearly parents put them to bed early to have child free evening.. that is sooo early .. whatever time do they wake up ?
I am on week threee of 9 and 12 year old grandsons and it’s a constant battle of breaking up arguments, steering them off devices, getting them stimulated , getting them washed , fed , watered ... it’s exhausting and ends up very stressful for us all. But add in the lovely moments and the happiness they have with us the rest of the time and it’s something I will miss when they are gone home !

That seems an extremely early teatime, and bedtime to me.