..........

Thanks for all of your opinions. They may be different than mine, and that is ok. Seriously didn't think this would cause something as big as it did. Sorry for coming off as a bitch. I really was trying to be concerned, but I guess it came off different

DD doesn't have Autism, but she is 6 yrs old and goes to bed at 7:30 - 8:00pm.

And what do you think is sad, the medicine or the bed time?

7 isn't a bad bedtime. It may be a little early, but if it works for them, I don't see the problem.

Well, they actually do need extra sleep because usually with autism they aren't totally shutting their brains down at night so in a 12 hour span they might be getting less than half of that as sleep. That being said, many kids with autism don't sleep basically at all, with many mom's getting by on the 4 hrs a night thier kids get.

As for the meds and melatonin, for MANY kids with autism it is very necessary because they can't turn thier brains off without it and then can't get to sleep.

My 5 yr old with autism goes to bed at 6:30pm. And yep, by then I need him to because I'm done with dealing with meltdowns and poop smearing and repetive talk for the day. He also needs to because he WILL be up by 6am regardless of what time he goes to bed and he needs that much time to sleep.

Quoting Meg ♥:" DD doesn't have Autism, but she is 6 yrs old and goes to bed at 7:30 - 8:00pm. And what do you think is sad, the medicine or the bed time? "

Both.

My kids aren't special needs but they are the same ages, 8 and 5. Their bedtime is 6:30.

you're being a judgmental bitch. there is nothing wrong with that bedtime. a lot of special needs children have earlier bedtimes.

focus on your own kids and stop being such a bitch.

Quoting Tristan's Mommy!:" Both. "

Do you have a SN child at all?

My bed time was 7-8 when I was that age. Kids need 10-12 hours of sleep a night and if they're having to get up before 7 am for school I don't see what's wrong with them going to bed at that time. DS goes to bed between 8-9 and I think that's a little late for an almost 2 year old, but he doesn't wake up until 11 am or later. He's not autistic but he has a lot of the characteristics of an autistic child. Some kids do need more sleep than others.

That all sounds very normal do kids with autism. Everything mom of a giggler said is pretty much true for many kids on the spectrum.

i don't think 7 is a bad bedtime for any kid around those ages, autistic or not. and, let's face it, i think we have all had days where we've put our kids to bed "early" or looked forward to bedtime so we could get a little bit of a break. i don't see a problem with it if it's working for the kids and mom.

My son goes to bed at 7pm and he's not special needs.

Stop being a busybody

<blockquote><b>Quoting shes*almost*one!:</b>" you're being a judgmental bitch. there is nothing wrong with that bedtime. a lot of special needs children have earlier bedtimes. focus on your own kids and stop being such a bitch. "</blockquote>




Heheh glad you said it!

Quoting Meg ♥:" Do you have a SN child at all? "

No, BUT I have cared for these kids since day one, including overnights on many, many occasions. I know how they are. Yes, they are hard, but in my opinion, they are no different than my sister and I were as children. I lived in the apartment next to them for a year and was there during my off time as well, so i know how they act with there parents, vs me.

Totally normal. Most of the parents of the children I work with (who all have different diagnoses-aspergers, odd, adhd) have to start the bedtime routine earlier than 8 because it typically takes longer to do everything.