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From: tan@ihlpg.UUCP (Bill Tanenbaum)
Newsgroups: net.kids,net.legal,net.politics
Subject: Re: corporal punishment in schools (really bedtimes)
Message-ID: <1240@ihlpg.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 13-Sep-85 13:26:59 EDT
Article-I.D.: ihlpg.1240
Posted: Fri Sep 13 13:26:59 1985
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Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories
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Xref: watmath net.kids:1987 net.legal:2333 net.politics:10974

> [Mitch Marks]
> I'm echoing Dave Long's question: what IS the point of bedtimes for
> children, anyway?  I've never really seen a good reason for them, apart
> from the convenience of the parents.  Actually that's not a bad reason  -
> the folks deserve a little rest and privacy - but why not be forthright
> about it instead of concocting explanations in terms of the child's
> best interests?
> 
> Yes, sure, the kid who stays up late Monday night will be tired Tuesday;
> but then will go right to sleep Tuesday early.  As for some abstract
> kind of `learning good habits', lemme tellya: I had strict bedtimes almost
> until I was out of high school, with the result that now I compulsively
> stay up, and feel cheated if I fall asleep before 2:00 or 3:00.
> -- 
We always have set bedtimes for our children on those nights when they have
school the next day.  Without them, my older daughter tended to stay up too
late and be too tired to concentrate in school the next day.  It's no big
deal.  We don't demand lights out, merely that she get in bed.  She can read
or do someting else in bed if she is not yet tired enough to fall asleep.
On Fridays and Saturdays, and during school vacations, a formal bedtime
has not been necessary, so none has been set.  The bedtimes themselves were
discussed with the kids, and set to what they consider reasonable.  It's all
working fine.
 Much of what you say about bedtimes is true, but they still have a point
other than parental convenience.
-- 
Bill Tanenbaum - AT&T Bell Labs - Naperville IL  ihnp4!ihlpg!tan