RE: When camping, what time do you put the kids to bed?

[Acts 2:38 girl]

 
I ve always been very rigid about bedtime, even when camping!  Usually 8-9pm. At times this has really been a hassel.  It s just that I can t stand dealing with cranky kids the next day!!  Does it all" come out in the wash"  or do you notice a big difference either way?  I want to attempt a different approach this year and need some advice!

[AustinBoston]

 Acts 2:38 girl
Andrea,
 
 When ours were little, we tried to put them to bed when PJay and I were finally being quiet.  Because campgrounds are usually darker than home, it generally worked.  But beware if they ve just loaded up with the sugar of 3-1/2 s mores!
 
 Now, at 12, 17, and 19, they are fairly responsible about when they are tired and will go to bed when they need to.
 
 Beware...teenagers have a built-in need to stay up until 2:00 am and sleep until noon!
 
 BTW, are YOU going to vote?  When I came in, I was the only vote.
 
 Austin

[whippetwrun]

 Acts 2:38 girl
The kids are good about bed times at home, even when the schedule gets disrupted with camping.  So for us letting them stay up until they are ready for bed works fine.  They ll usually tell us they are tired around 9:00 anyway.  It is less of struggle getting them to bed this way, and they still go to sleep close to their normal bedtime (8:30).

[luvourjayco]

 Acts 2:38 girl
Our girls are so routine orientated that by 10pm they can t hold their eyes open any longer. They do enjoy the quiet family time by the fire though so we let  them join us for a bit before sending them into bed. The good thing is they are usually so tired they crash right out. They do tend to sleep a bit later when camping though and no one is usually moving much before 8-8:30 at home its 7 at the latest.

[kathybrj]

 Acts 2:38 girl
When we camp, the kids zonk out very early- about 8-9pm. They help out tremendously and it takes it s toll on them. Usually they will just tell us they are going in to go to sleep and that s it.

[Gone-Camping]

 Acts 2:38 girl
My niece is not too big of a problem, except she won t go to bed alone, someone has to be in the camper with her. Her brother simply runs til he drops! However, I usually make them settle down and stick around at the campsite once it gets dark, or at his friends site if their parents allow it, but by 10 or 11 pm it s mandatory....
 
 Usually they are too excited about being away from home that they ll never go to sleep anyway, so putting them down early is far more trouble than it s worth.

[tlhdoc]

 Acts 2:38 girl
If we don t have to be up early the next morning I let them go until they are pretty tired, but usually they are in bed between 10 and midnight.  The first night we are usually up later with all of the excitement of going camping.

[griffsmom]

 Acts 2:38 girl
My little one (2 y/o) goes to bed between 8 and 8:30 at home, and I try to stick to that routine while camping, if only because I need to sit down for more than 2 minutes without having to chase him down and drag him back the site!  I usually put him down between 8 and 9 while camping, although I may start trying a bit later bedtime--he s usually up well before the sun has risen and quiet hours are over![][&:][]

[Acts 2:38 girl]

 Acts 2:38 girl
OK - I voted!  []  9-10pm seems to be the normal time the kids crash!  I seem to go to bed later too, but I also fall asleep the next afternoon!  There seems to be a competition on who gets to take the nap (me or DH!) []

[angelsmom10]

 Acts 2:38 girl
Don t give the option of no kids.  Very rarely does DD come with us.  
 
 Teenager[8D][&:]

[missteri]

 Acts 2:38 girl
Andrea,
 We tend to play it by ear!  After all, each camping trip is our mini vacation.  We put them to bed when they get tired and start to get cranky.  Sometimes they ll even ask to go to bed, because they know they are tired.  And I don t really care if they sleep late the next morning.