Featured Image Credit: @alicellanispam/TikTok
Topics: Parenting
Emma Guinness
If you're a parent, then you'll know that parenting styles can be as varied as children themselves.
But it's a general rule of thumb that children need some rules in order to help them grow into happy, healthy and functioning members of society. This mum is doing it differently in one department, at least:
So it probably stands to reason that this TikTok-using mum shocked the internet when she revealed that her toddler has no bedtime and stays up until at least midnight.
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The woman, called Alice, took to the video-sharing app to explain that she and her husband, Caleb, have decided to adopt an unusual method when it comes to getting their son Fern to bed - intuitive sleep.
This is exactly what it sounds like and involves allowing a child to choose when they to go sleep instead of forcing them to attempt to get some shut eye at a specific time.
The mum said that while she is a comparatively early sleeper who goes to bed between 9 and 11pm, her husband and toddler sleep much later - sometimes as late as 3am.
She said: "We do intuitive sleep so we all go to bed when we feel like it. I sleep at 9pm-11pm.
"Caleb and Fern sleep 12am-3am."
As you can imagine, TikTok users had a lot to say about the non-traditional parenting technique.
Reacting to the revelation, one viewer wrote: "I love thissss it'd be so awesome to do it. I'm glad ur able to [sic]."
"Same. I'm usually the one up late, but [I'm] 35 weeks [pregnant]," shared a second. "[It] has me going to bed at 7-9pm but my kids and hubby don't sleep until 3-4am."
"So early, love you Alice," added a third of the mum's own schedule, while a fourth couldn't help but declare: "You're my favourite TikTok mum."
The NHS has some handy useful advice, however, if this alternative sleeping schedule isn't something that you and your family can personally practice.
They recommend that if you have a child under five, you shouldn't let them look at any kind of screen between 30 and 60 minutes before they're due to sleep.
The NHS also advises that children should have a predictable routine to get them ready to sleep, which 'includes the same things every night'.
They said that if a child struggles to sleep or wakes up during the night, the best way to combat this is by being 'boring as possible' so that they're encouraged to go back to sleep.
The health body also advises against long afternoon naps.