My 9 year old stays up all night
By imsilver
@imsilver (1665)
Canada
February 4, 2007 9:52pm CST
I mentioned this to a friend last night and she acted like it was the worst thing she'd heard. It's not like I let him do it every night and definatly not on a school night. My son is as bad a computer junkie as I am.. lol.. during the day though there isn't much chance for him to go on the computer; I work most of the day and when I'm not on it the nugwaha is to do his thing so my son doesn't get a chance to come on. So we've come to an agreement that on the weekend after we go to bed; my son is allowed to come on the computer and do his habbo/faketown thing. He watches movies and just cruises around on-line. I view the history and stuff and keep an eye on where he goes but he's pretty dependable and doesn't want to lose his access to the computer so he's good about it. He doesn't have school the next day so usually he'll lay down after we get up and take the computer back and have a couple hours nap and everything is okay. Do you think I'm wrong to let him stay up all night?
14 people like this
55 responses
@Celanith (2327)
• United States
5 Feb 07
Your child needs his rest at night, and to let him stay up all night any time is plain unhealthy for him. You need to set him a time limit. I don't know when your on the computer but you need to give him only a couple of hours and then lights out. So big deal you don't get on due to work. And your so selfish you cannot let him have a couple of hours before lights on. A couple of hours nap is hardly OK. You're irresponsible and negligant as a parent. There has to be a better way to let your son be the computer. Furthermore he is 9 so he does not need lots of time. He needs to do other things besides be on the computer. You both need to find other interests to share besides the computer.
@Lush_heidi (994)
• United States
5 Feb 07
I would make sure his grades dont suffer, or perhaps his pediatrician can give you more information that I can. Kids need certain amounts of sleep to functon in school and during the day. Perhaps he will agree to getting online only during certain periods of time you allow.Good luck!
3 people like this
@cloud_kicker_32 (4635)
• United States
5 Feb 07
I really thought about your situation..and I am sorry to say that i disagree with you and what ya have been letting him do,this is seriously unhealthy for him..hes only 9 years old,,just 9!..and he is still very young..I think I would have agreed it wasnt that bad if he was maybe 14 or 15..but hes not even 10 yest and they need therer rest,and the fact that you let him all night long? i think that is bad..maybe a few hours till maybe 1 or 2 am..and for me that would be pushing it,why dont you see about getting a used pc for him off ebay or soemthing for him to have so he can play during normal hours?Im sorry.i really did look at both sides,.but he is just too young right now toi be up all night..He needs his zzzz's hun..
@vinancynfla (13)
• United States
5 Feb 07
Do yourself and your son a favor and consult your pediatrician to ensure that there are no long term health risks involved. I strongly believe that there are but I am not a medical professional. Please, I urge you to make the phone call and ask the question. If the doc says its ok then you can go ahead but I believe that he will give you specifics on why it is harmful then you will come back here and tell us and we will all learn something. I know certain things happen within the body only when it is asleeping and it may be critical in growing children but it is only speculation until you get a professional opinion.
1 person likes this
@micheller (1365)
• United States
5 Feb 07
As long as it is not a school night then I don't see anything wrong with letting him stay up. And as long as you check what he is going to it's fine. I think that you can set parental controls, try and see if you can just to be on the safe side.
2 people like this
@cjthedog64 (1552)
• United States
5 Feb 07
My teenager stays up really late sometimes on weekends or school vacation days. But even then he sleeps in the next day. He can't do it all the time or he ends up cranky though. I think 9 is pretty young to be developing habits like that. Young kids need their rest, and it takes time (days) for them to get back on schedule for school. I bet your son is having problems focusing at school because of this, even if the teachers or grades don't show it. Be a parent and make your kid go to bed.
3 people like this
@imsilver (1665)
• Canada
6 Feb 07
I keep in very close contact with the teacher and the school in general. If I thought this was affecting his grade at all it would be stopped but he manages quite well. We have four day school weeks here(mon-thurs) so he gets thurdsay all night, sometimes friday all night but he's usually tired from the night before so he crashes on the couch for a few hours during the night. Very rarely Saturday all night and he's got all day sunday to sleep and recover and get ready for school the next day.
1 person likes this
@Bizziebod (3497)
•
5 Feb 07
To me a healthy child is a happy one, my daughter would be up half the night studying, watching tv and stuff as she is better at nightimes than she is in the mornings. I think as long as nothing else is suffering then why not if he is happy??
2 people like this
@chimex4real2k2 (1853)
• Nigeria
5 Feb 07
You are rewarding his behavior if you allow him to spend the night with you in the end. Dont give in and it WILL get worse before it gets better. Also, talk with him about any fears he has about sleeping on his own-mommy and daddy sleep together and now YOU are a big boy. Big boys sleep all by themselves. Continue placing him in his room each time and he will eventually stay...just becareful of how you are rewarding his staying with you- even if it does not seem like a reward at the time...Good luck and remember, you and your husband can do this together!
1 person likes this
@imsilver (1665)
• Canada
6 Feb 07
apparently you are one of those people who simply reads the title and doesn't even bother to skim the discussion.. this has absolutely NOTHING to do with what my post was about... my son has been in his own room and his own bed for many many years now...
1 person likes this
@vmoore709 (1101)
• United States
5 Feb 07
I would never allow my children to stay up like that. They are on a schedule and stick with it. Also, I need my "adult time" after they go to bed. It's also my time to relax and talk to my husband once they are in bed.
1 person likes this
@sylviekitty (2083)
• United States
5 Feb 07
Yes, same here. My kids go to bed at the same time every night, so that I can have a couple of hours to myself before I go to sleep.
1 person likes this
@wmaharper (2316)
• United States
5 Feb 07
imsilver, I do think that it is wrong to let him stay up all night long. Children need thier rest, especially a growing almost adolescent child. you really need to first, limit his computer time, and second make him go to sleep at a certain time. It does not matter that he doesn't have school the next day, you cannot catch up on sleep you miss. Once you miss it, you miss it, and your body suffers because of it. Definently have a discussion with his pediatrician about it, and start setting limits on his time. Good luck to you! (:
2 people like this
@dejiflow (128)
• Nigeria
5 Feb 07
It is stretching things a little too far, by allowing a 9 year old to stay up all night on the computer. It is even worse to let him stay online without supervision. You could look at history to check the sites he visited, but soon he will learn to delete certain items of history, leaving only the things he wants you to see. The best thing to do is to make room for him to use the computer and have internet access during the day. Parents must insist on what is right, and force their children to comply.
2 people like this
@rahuldmhatre (736)
• India
5 Feb 07
yes, he is too young to do it, he will ruin his health....kids his age need to spend time running and playing and doing physical activity outdoors rather than staying indoors in front of the stupid monitor, change his ways of you will ruin his health and his childhood.......
@imsilver (1665)
• Canada
6 Feb 07
the weekend is the only time he gets on the computer.. during the week he is quite an active child and gets more than his share of physical activity... he's bound to be the next X-game star.. he bikes, rollerblades, skateboards and pretty much anything else he can do to induce a heart attack in me..
1 person likes this
@thewolf777 (581)
• United States
5 Feb 07
theres nothing wrong with it. as long as he gets his sleep made up later. as he grows up he'll start going to bed later anyways. and its your choice what you allow your kids to do. who cares what your friends think. let them raise their kids their way and stick to it. as long as your son dont get on dirty websites its all good.
2 people like this
@Rittings (673)
•
5 Feb 07
Nah I think it's ok if you can't afford a second computer. Atleast if he is learning to be responsible with this, then he should be ok.
I would recommend networking a second computer up though, even if it's a cheap nacker that only runs the basics (atleast running the internet is priority number 1)... then it's problem solved and you don't worry about it.
2 people like this
@rogue13xmen13 (14403)
• United States
5 Feb 07
Do not let him get away with that. You are that boy's mother. Put your foot down and tell him that if he does not get to bed he will wake up the next morning with a headache.
@patootie (3592)
•
5 Feb 07
As a life long 'bad sleeper' I would say you are doing your child untold harm .. habits learnt in the young formative years are carried through into adulthood .. a child of 9 certainly must have proper sleep each and every night .. by not getting proper sleep his body is not receiving the correct rest and repair time ..
You are probably damaging his health for ever .. his organs, muscles, joints etc all rely on getting a good daily rest so they can repair any minor damage done during the day and so they can grow properly .. I don't think it's too strong to say you are actually abusing your child by allowing him to be up all hours .. especially as you are making sure you are getting your daily sleep quota ..
For goodness sakes get a grip .. if using the computer is so addictive for you at least buy your son a computer too so he can get proper daily routines again .. your selfish attitude beggars belief .. !!
1 person likes this
@tigerdragon (4297)
• Philippines
5 Feb 07
wow, you seem to have a problem in your hands.please, don't be offended if i tell you , you are the problem because you have to be in control, you are the parent. too much of everything is too much. i would suggest to train your child to sleep early. turn off your tv's and computers off. do not let him watch too much nickelodeon, it is bad for them and for you.
@jbones32103 (717)
• United States
5 Feb 07
You are not a terrible mother or anything trying to make your child happy, but there should be a limit. We have four children who always wants to stay up on weekends. We let them stay up until midnight sometimes, but that's it. They are still young and need their rest in order to function properly. Staying up all night could change their sleeping habits and insomia could form. Talk to your child and work out a bedtime. Also even though you check the history, if your child is smart enough they can erase what they don't want you to see. Good luck
1 person likes this
@imsilver (1665)
• Canada
6 Feb 07
lol... we've actually had this discussion.. about him erasing the history and I explained that he'd be in just as much trouble for doing that because if he bothered to erase it it means that he's doing something he knows that he shouldn't be doing...
1 person likes this
@merkava (1225)
• Philippines
6 Feb 07
As long as it doesn't bring his grades down that ok. But if you're really concerned about your situation I suggest you purchase an adult filter. That software will filter out all bad sites and it's also a time keeper and will shut down to whatever time you input in.
I too am a computer junkie ever since I was 10. That didn't affect my grades but it played havoc on my biological clock. I was still on the computer till 2am and at extremes till 5am.
