Do French kids have a later bedtime than British kids?

General Discussion
1

Good evening everyone

I'm asking this question because my 15 year old stepson insists all his friends have a later bedtime than him on a weekend. Over the years it has gradually got later and now we have set it at 12:30am. This still seems too late to me. When we insist he goes to bed he argues and protests so much I'm wondering if we have got this wrong or, maybe, he is just playing up.

I know I'm an old fogey but I'm sure I remember my teenage bedtime was 10pm at the weekend. So, do they do things differently here in France?

Would be interested to hear your views.

2

I don't know about teenagers but certainly my little ones seem to have a later bedtime than the UK parenting books advise. Mine go to bed between 8.30/9 and then get up around 7.30am. The youngest one has a siesta at school so she doesn't actually go to sleep until 10pm most nights although she is in bed from 8.30ish.

This seems fairly normal when I talk to other parents.

In Summer it's a whole different story they stay up to almost midnight or later if we are having a late dinner but then to be fair they do tend to have siestas in the afternoon and they get up later the next day.

3

My 14 year-old is supposed to be in bed by 9.30 during the week, anything between 10.30 and 12 at the weekend depending on what is on. We get up at 6.30.

4

from first hand experience it's later, sometimes far later than what's "normal" for kids in the UK ;-)

5

Thanks for your comments. It seems I have to accept that French kids tend to go to bed later, probably about the same time as their parents. Don't the parents want some adult time together? I still think 12.30am is late enough for a 15 year old.

6

They can be up but they don't have to be with you, they can be at the other end of the house or in their room or so on. Or is "Don't the parents want some adult time together?" code for 'the oldies want to get out the bearskin rug & build up the log fire for a bit of passion but are scared they'll be walked in on leading to embarrassment & mental scarring for life all round'... in that case drug his supper & send him off to bed with earplugs for good measure ;-)