Unschooling Sleep Poll

[Julie B]

People have asked me what bedtimes look like for unschoolers, and I respond with my own family's experience. Because ours is rather quirky (3yo likes to go to bed at 3am), it can make unschooling sleep look more daunting than it should. That's my sense, at least. It may turn out that my guy is not an oddball. :-)

I wanted to create a mosaic of what unschooled sleep looks like for lots of families so I'd have a broader base to draw upon when answering people's questions. If you'd like to participate and see your reponses alongside others', go here:
http://www.misterpoll.com/polls/355934

Thanks! Oh, and please feel free to share the link with anyone who would like to participate.

[Julie B]

More comments...

If the kids choose classes through parks and rec they want to take it effects their sleep for several days. depending on how physically taxing the classes are and what times they are offered.

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it is when she feels like going to bed

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we don't co sleep anymore children choice they are 11 and 12 sometimes if they get a little sick then they will come in. In WA they slept more in the winter compared to Queensland

[lissa]

my family stopped co sleeping when the kids were done nursing. mostly because my husband really wanted that time for us to have some alone time.

the kids ajusted well to the change.

[Julie B]

The percentages listed in the results are incorrect because people can make multiple entries for each person, but the poll is basing the number on the total number of voters. I figured out percentages of common sleep times based on 141 separate responses:

Most fell within the 8pm-5am range.

8pm-9pm - 16%
10pm-12am - 49%
1am-3am - 15%
4am-5am - 4%

The other 16% is scattered around the clock, although it may be fewer because 10 people selected 10am and 11am. Perhaps some meant pm?

[diana (hahamommy)]

Hayden's sleep schedule has *always* tended to be more of a "night-shift" than an early morning or "day-shift." He now understands the risk/benefit of each part of the clock. Sometimes he deems the daytime stuff worthy of being awake for, and he will (over the course of a few days or a week) adjust his schedule to the days. (he's doing that right now, so he can spend the whole day at the Ren Fest).

[Meredith]

Ray prefers the "night shift" as well - but can also switch to "day shift" for travel or work or whatever he likes. Nights work well for him to be on the computer, especially with our heinous dial up. Less lag time after 9pm.

Now that I'm working, I really prefer to go to bed by 9pm. Mo has always alternated between about 830 and around 10pm. It just shifts periodically for no reason we've ever been able to determine. When she's on the later cycle (like now) we ask Ray to cede the downstairs tv to her early enough for her to get all her toys etc arranged to her liking before I need to start winding down to sleep. He's pretty understanding about that.

[Julie B]

More comments...

We all sleep in later on Winter mornings because it's darker outside and warm in bed and because of the heat where we live we go to sleep later in Summer except any family member (teenager or Dad) who has to get up for work.

All of my kids know when they need to go to sleep, enjoy falling to sleep and fall to sleep within minutes - no fuss even when they were babies. Until they wean they breastfeed to sleep. Until they are 8 or 9 they prefer to sleep in the family bed and go to bed when the parents do so if they are tired before we are ready to retire they fall to sleep in the lounge room and we carry them to bed when we go. While we all go to sleep at the same time we all wake up when we have had enough sleep - again except teenager and Dad if they have to get up for work.

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MY kid will stay up till the wee hours of the morning if we have company. I think they are afraid of missing something.

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My kids seem to want to enjoy life, so they sleep less than I would prefer! Especially my 3 year old, he has given up naps, so we just let him fall asleep whenever! I think he wants to be in on all the fun! My 1 year old still naps well, thankfully! My oldest can never seem to fall asleep at night because he knows we are still up and wants to be with us!

Just let it flow!!! Dont' force it, at times when I try to force it, cause I am whooped, it often backfires!! Sometimes now I go to bed and tell the older 2 to come to bed when they are tired, and often it's not long after me, they just appreciate the freedom to decide, and realize their own tiredness - it's random but it's good!!!

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They are very good at choosing their rest/sleep times according to an appt. or obligation they may have/or have made for themselves and honor it on their own.

I have teens and I have heard they like to sleep more from more mainstream parents. My teens sleep when they are tired--period! They will lay down anywhere from mid afternoon to early evening to take a cat nap and stay up till 3 am! Some days they go to sleep at 8 pm and rise at 5 am to watch the sunrise! It all depends on what they feel they need or want to do! They are free to choose the times that suit them to sleep and be awake!

[Julie B]

More comments...

Our sleep pattern is pretty predictable. We're lucky as although it is hard for son to switch off, but once he's off, nothing can wake him up LOL!

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As we let go of restrictions on screen time, two of our children (both 8 y.o.) often
choose to watch TV or play computer games all night long.

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None of the "bedtimes" were enforced by us, they were chosen by each child as their time their body needed to go to sleep. Sometimes if a child is in sleep-deprivation meltdown mode, we will snuggle with them maybe watching a movie to try and soothe the transition to sleep, but it isn't a manditory thing.

[Julie B]

Thanks again for all of your responses--171 so far. The most popular sleeptime is holding steady at 10pm. :-)

More comments...

Work schedules (can't unschool the job), night life of young adults (sometimes going without sleep) hurricanes making sleep impossible.

Unschooling sleep could be compared to your sleep patterns while on vacation with no need to be at a particular place at a particular time.

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We have a child who doesn't feel well if they stay up too late. Another that hates to go to bed ever and will crash midday if they haven't gotten at least 9-12 hrs and one who stays up late and sleeps till at least noon on a regular basis.

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Everyone went to bed earlier during the time we were without cable. I tend to go to sleep the earliest with our 2 year old because, of course, we're usually the first to get up in the morning.

I look forward to reading the results.