What Time Does Your 2 Year Old Go to Bed?

Updated on March 25, 2011
S.S. asks from Los Angeles, CA
29 answers

And what time does s/he wake up? I'm trying to suss out whether my bedtime for my 2 year old is reasonable (7:30-8pm) because he always wants to stay up later but seems tired. Thanks!

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S.H.

answers from Washington DC on

My two yr old goes to bed at 7pm and wakes up around 6:30-7:00am. She also takes a 2 hr nap every day.

T.M.

answers from Reading on

All 3 of my kids ages 3, 4 and 6 go to bed at 7:00 most nights, and 8:00 others. They wake anywhere between 6:00-8:00 am. My 3 year old still takes a daily nap as well and my 4 and 6 year old take an occassional nap also.

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M.C.

answers from Minneapolis on

my kids have gone to bed at 7pm since they were around 6mo old, Now they are 6yr, 3yr, and 10mo
they get up at 6:30-7am

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A.R.

answers from Minneapolis on

I wish my 2 year old went to bed at 8! My DS doesn't go to bed til about 11pm or later.

2 moms found this helpful
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T.V.

answers from San Francisco on

Yes that is a reasonable time for your two year old.

Blessings....

1 mom found this helpful
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J.B.

answers from Denver on

7 ish....

don't want them up too late- they still need 10-12 hours of sleep per day.

healthy sleep habits, happy child - is an awesome book to check out!

good luck!

1 mom found this helpful

J.L.

answers from Los Angeles on

Mine's a night owl. 10 or later and wakes up at 8am.
If your schedule works for you keep it that way!

1 mom found this helpful
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A.C.

answers from Columbus on

Our little guy doesn't usually go to bed until 9 or 9:30 pm and will sleep until 7 or 7:30 am, and nap 1 to 3 hours in the afternoon (I've come to the conclusion that he is like me and needs a lot of sleep....).

I think that they say 10 to 12 or 13 hours, total for the day, is normal for a 2yo to 3 yo. Some need more, some need less.

When DS gives up his nap (I dread the day, though I know its coming), I'll put him to bed earlier (probably around 8).

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P.O.

answers from Harrisburg on

Mine goes between 8:30 and 9, naps once for 1 and 1/2 hrs during day, wakes about 6am drowsy or wet, then goes back to finish up for another hour. I think it's based on individual schedules. I'd venture to say SAHM get them in by about the time you mention, working moms might be later, also depend on the kids.

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K.F.

answers from Cleveland on

My son is almost 3, but he goes to bed same time as yours. His bed time was 7:00 until he was almost 2, then it moved to 7:30 and lately it's been between 7:30-8. His wake up times are random, but for the past week it's been between 6:30-7:00 am. He takes a 1-3 hour nap every day also.

A.D.

answers from Norfolk on

sounds like a perfect time to me. Mine has always been a cranky mess if he stays up past 8 and then he'll wake up SUPER early the next day (overtiredness does this to kids) and it takes 3-4 days to get him on schedule again. We very rarely ever let him stay up past 8 because of this. He's out like a light by 7:30 most nights and wakes up around 7

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L.W.

answers from Cincinnati on

My now 27 month old went to bed at 730-7am until she turned 2....then she started waking up earlier (around 6)
we now put her to bed at 8 or 830
Bedtime also depends on naps...her nap starts around noon - 2 or 230...

M.R.

answers from Rochester on

My 2 1/2 year old usually goes to bed between 12:30 and 1:30 a.m. and sleeps until 10 or 11 (his brother wakes him up) and naps for 2-3 hours most afternoons. (His older brother goes to sleep a little before he does since they share a room and otherwise they would never fall asleep.)

Bedtimes do not matter in my opinion unless you have to be awake by a certain time--as long as your child is getting enough hours of sleep every 24-hour period, you should be fine. If he is too tired, let him go to sleep earlier. If he is still napping, just make sure he is getting an adequate total amount of sleep. We put our 4-year-old down earlier since he always wakes up at the same time and does not nap anymore, so that is the only way he gets enough sleep.

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K.G.

answers from Fort Wayne on

my 21 mo dd goes down at 8pm we start areound 730 with teeth, stories and fresh diaper. she gets a shower every night at 6pm and we play till its time to start bedtime. she usually asks for night night around 7 but I keep her awake or she is up too early. as for her normal wake time its 730 ish. but I dont get her till around 8 unless she is fussy.

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J.K.

answers from Phoenix on

My one year old goes to be at 7ish and wakes up about 12-13 hours later...

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M.G.

answers from Chicago on

Ideally, 8:00. Realistically, my 2.5 year old boys don't fall asleep until 9:00 or later, but they sleep until 7:30 or 8:00 and still take a 2-3 hour nap during the day.

A.B.

answers from Dallas on

My little man goes down about 8:30 and usually wakes up between 7-7:30. Sometimes on the weekends, he sleeps a little longer which is always nice- the week wears us both out :(

L.G.

answers from Eugene on

Your idea of reasonable is perfectly reasonable. I managed to get my kids to sleep at that hour by beginning with read stories shortly after dinnner. Yes my dishes were in the sink but they could be done at any time.
Then we went to tooth brushing. Then I'd listen while each one told me about what happened or what worried them. And, then a sweet song and off to sleep.
I woke up at 6AM to get an hour of reading in before they got out of bed.

H.V.

answers from Cleveland on

I wish I could get my DS in bed a lil earlier than I do.
He goes to bed between 8:30-9pm. Most of the time its closer to 8:30.
My hubby doesn't get off of work until 7pm, gets home around 7:20-30pm then we eat dinner. After dinner my hubby & our DS have their play time.
Ive tried doing our dinner earlier and all that, but my son will NOT go to bed without being able to see his daddy.

Y.C.

answers from New York on

I think is reasonable, mine goes to bed between 8 and 8:30 but sometimes stays awake (in her room) until 9pm. She wakes up or I wake her up at 7am to drive big sister to school and she is not taking naps anymore.

C.M.

answers from St. Louis on

My 1.5 and 3.5 year olds both go to bed at 7pm. 3.5 year old used to go to bed at 8 when she napped at daycare but she's home with dad now and doesn't nap any longer so she's ready for bed by then. They are up between 630-700. Even when my daughter went to bed at 8 or later, she is still up at 630. So this works for us.

I also have to say that I really like this bedtime because it then gives the hubby and I each a few hours to do our own thing, do spend time together, etc. I get home from work around 330 so we have 3.5 hours together in the evening before bedtime.

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S.R.

answers from El Paso on

sounds like you've got a good bedtime to me! my daughter has been going to bed around 8:30 lately (she's 2 as well, but my husband has been working late & i let her stay up a little later so she can spend some time with him.)

what's most important is the total amount of sleep being gotten. mine goes to bed around 8:30, but doesn't wake up until 7:30, & takes a nap from 1 to 3 in the afternoon. the earlier they wake up in the morning, the more you probably need to shift bedtime up

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S.B.

answers from Kansas City on

when my dd was two, she went to bed about 7 and got up a little before 7. now that she's 4 she goes to bed about 7:30 and has started sleeping in on the weekends a little.

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M.F.

answers from Phoenix on

Bedtime is between 8-9, depending on if we have dinner late or if a bath is needed. She usually wakes around 10.

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T.N.

answers from Albuquerque on

7pm with wake up around 6:30 - 7am, plus a two hour nap.

T.K.

answers from Dallas on

When mine were 2 I let them stay up until 10 so they would sleep in later. If I put mine to bed at 7 they would be up at 5am! 10 hours is a long time for anyone to sleep at a time. Now they are 4 and 5 we start the process at 8 and eventually get to bed by 9. We're pulling it back a bit at a time so they will be in bed by 8 when school starts.

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D.F.

answers from New York on

My 2 yr old wakes up at 7am, naps between 2-4pm and goes to bed for the night at 8:30. He is usually fast asleep by 8:45pm.

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J.A.

answers from Spartanburg on

My 2.5 y/o and 4.5 y/o have a 730 bedtime. They sleep until 7-730. Sometimes my younger goes thru a stage of waking earlier (like between 6-630) and it sucks but its obvious that he is tired by 730.

So your bedtime is reasonable to me :)

J.P.

answers from Stockton on

I try to get my 2 year old in bed around 7:30 as well.....

oh - and she wakes up around 6:30 or 7:00 in the a.m.

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