235. What Time Should My Child Go to Bed? How to Find Their Ideal Bedtime

235. What Time Should My Child Go to Bed? How to Find Their Ideal Bedtime

April 14, 2026 · 29 min · Season 5 · Episode 235

About this episode

Allison explains the importance of aligning children's bedtimes with their natural sleep rhythms to improve sleep quality.

If bedtime feels like a battle, your child is waking during the night, or mornings are starting way too early, the issue may not be how much sleep your child is getting. It may be when they are going to sleep. In this episode, Allison explains one of the most important and overlooked concepts in children's sleep: sleep timing. Once a baby develops a mature sleep rhythm, sleep becomes less about wake windows and more about anchor start times that align with their natural biological clock. Every child has a natural "sleep wave," a time when their body is primed to fall asleep easily and stay asleep through the night. When bedtime lines up with that window, sleep becomes smoother. When it doesn't, families often see bedtime resistance, night wakings, and early morning wakings, even if their child is technically getting enough sleep. Allison shares how to recognize your child's sleep wave, what happens when you miss it, and why an earlier bedtime often leads to better sleep and later mornings, not earlier ones. She also addresses common concerns from working parents who worry about losing precious evening time with their child. Listen in if you have ever wondered: What time should my…

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