How to Move Your Child’s Bedtime Earlier and Make It Easier for Everyone

It’s 10 p.m., and your child is still wide awake. They’ve brushed their teeth, you’ve read the story, but sleep just won’t come. They’re thirsty, then hungry, then ready to talk about everything except closing their eyes. Meanwhile, you can barely keep yours open.

In many homes, children’s bedtimes have slowly crept later and later. Busy schedules, after-school activities, and screen time all push the clock forward, leaving kids too wired to sleep and parents too tired to argue.

The result is a household that starts the day on empty.

Recent studies show just how widespread the problem is. Around 34.7% of children get less sleep than recommended, with rates peaking among kids aged 6 to 12 (37.5%). In Europe, as many as 68–69% of teenagers fall short on sleep, and more than half of girls report poor sleep quality.*

Lack of rest affects more than just mornings. Research links insufficient sleep in children to mood swings, poor school performance, lower quality of life, and even a higher risk of injuries.

Shifting to an earlier bedtime can feel like a lost battle, but it doesn’t have to be. With small, steady changes and help from parental control tools, you can gently reset your child’s rhythm and bring calm back to your evenings.

Is Your Child Getting Enough Sleep?

How much sleep children need depends on their age, and it’s often more than we think, according to experts.

Children aren’t the only ones who benefit from an early night. When kids sleep well, mornings run smoother, tempers cool faster, and the whole family feels more balanced.

Sleep fuels growth, learning, and emotional regulation. According to pediatric sleep specialists, children who don’t get enough rest struggle to focus and manage emotions — and parents feel the strain, too. A late bedtime also means parents lose their own downtime, which can make evenings feel endless and mornings chaotic.

In short: better sleep helps everyone function and connect better.

Related: Your Child Says “I’m Bored” After Screen Time? Here’s How to Respond

Why It’s So Hard to Get Kids to Sleep Earlier

Even when they’re yawning, kids often insist they’re “not tired,” and they “can’t sleep”. Some are natural night owls, while others are overstimulated. Between homework, sports, and evening activities, many families don’t slow down until late. Add screens into the mix — phones, tablets, TVs glowing past sunset — and the brain gets the wrong message. The blue light they emit signals it’s still daytime, delaying the release of melatonin, the hormone that helps us fall asleep.

And then there’s the emotional side. For many kids, nighttime is when worries surface or when they finally have a parent’s full attention. That “one more question” before lights out is often a bid for connection, not defiance.

None of this means you’re doing something wrong. It just shows how modern routines and devices work against natural sleep rhythms.

Related: When Should a Child Get Their First Smartphone?

How to Shift to an Earlier Bedtime Step by Step

Experts recommend moving bedtime gradually, about 10 to 15 minutes earlier every few days. 

Start with mornings. Open the curtains early and let in as much natural light as possible. A quick walk to school or even breakfast near a sunny window helps reset your child’s internal clock.

Keep evenings calm. As bedtime approaches, dim the lights, lower the noise, and replace stimulating activities with soothing ones — a bath, a bedtime story, quiet drawing, or gentle conversation.

Avoid screens an hour before bed. This is often the hardest part, and where parental controls can make a big difference. Setting up automatic device limits removes the nightly negotiation about when to stop watching or scrolling.

Consistency is key. Once your child’s bedtime happens around the same time each night, their body starts to expect it and resist it less.

Related: 10 Screen Time Rules Every Parent Should Set for a Healthy Digital Balance

How to Use Bitdefender Parental Control to Support Better Sleep

Screens aren’t necessarily the enemy, but how long and when kids use them matters. Devices make it easy to lose track of time. A show that “ends” at 8:30 can quickly roll into another, followed by a round of “just five more minutes.” Social apps and games never stop updating, and most kids simply don’t have the willpower to stop on their own.

Bitdefender Parental Control can make bedtime easier for everyone, helping you set clear boundaries without turning every night into a negotiation.

You can use it to:

• Set a digital bedtime. Schedule entertainment apps to pause automatically about an hour before sleep, giving your child’s brain time to wind down.
• Block late-night distractions. Social media, games, and notifications can wait until morning — and your child will fall asleep faster without the constant buzz.
• Schedule quiet time. Bitdefender Parental Control lets you build healthy evening routines for reading, homework, or quiet play, so screens naturally fade out as bedtime approaches.
• Reward healthy habits. If your child sticks to the plan, you can easily add a little bonus screen time for the weekend or a favorite show directly from the app.

These features are built right into Bitdefender Parental Control. You can create device schedules, block specific apps, and set custom downtime hours, all from your phone, without constant reminders or bedtime arguments.

Bitdefender Parental Control is included in all Bitdefender Family plans. If you want full coverage for everyone at home, consider a Family Plan. It protects your whole household every day, blocking harmful content, scams, and phishing attempts, and alerting you in case of personal data breaches. It also keeps every family member’s devices and digital identity secure.

It’s a simple way to protect your loved ones, and your sleep too.

Related: Why Do Games Make Your Child Watch Ads to Keep Playing—And What to Do About It

When It Feels Hard, Keep Going

Not every night will go as planned. Some evenings, bedtime will slip — and that’s okay. 

Sleep is one of the simplest, most powerful gifts you can give your family. With a bit of patience, consistency, and the right digital support, those endless late-night battles can finally give way to calmer evenings and happier mornings for everyone.

Explore Bitdefender’s family protection plans.

*Sources: Preventing Chronic Disease, Sleep Quality and Duration in European Adolescents Study, How Much Sleep Kids Need.