Raisingkids.co.uk's parenting expert, Dr Pat Spungin, has some advice on deciding when a pre-teen should go to bed.

Raisingkids member's problem
Please could you tell me what the recommended time for bed is for a 12 yr-old. Is it before the 9pm watershed or later? Are there any guidelines we can follow?

Dr Spungin's advice
According to Dr Richard Ferber who is an expert on sleep, a typical 12 yr-old requires 9¼ hours sleep. But like adults, children vary and your child may need more or less sleep than average. The watershed is a boundary that marks the line between programmes judged suitable for 'children' and those that are unsuitable. You will make you own judgement about whether or not you want your pre-teen watching programmes after 9pm.

As for guidelines about bedtime, ask yourself if your child is tired in the morning? Does your child stay awake in bed for a long time after going to bed? Do you and your partner want time to yourselves? When my own children were about this age, I set a time for bed. They went to bed but were allowed to read until they were tired and then they turned off their light. This gave my husband and myself time together in the evening and they all developed a reading habit, which is sometimes difficult in this era of computer games and wall-wall television.

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