After a long day of work and household responsibilities I look forward to 7pm because that is when we start our bedtime routine. It is also when the bedtime battle begins. Excuses, pleading, “I’m Hungry” and “I need more time to play!” begins. With twin boys that are master negotiators, stallers and my personal favourite – the flatterer! My boys are masters at all three. Whether it’s asking for one more show on Netflix to a bedtime snack they’ve employed all the tactics for the bedtime battle.
Beating the Bedtime Battle in 5 Minutes
With the launch of five-minute-long ‘favorites’ of the hit series Dinotrux from DreamWorks Animation, parents can offer up an ENTIRE SHOW – that’s 300 whole seconds, kids – to motivate little ones to get ready for bedtime, pronto. Kids will think they’re getting away with murder, but parents will get the last laugh when the show ends after just five minutes and the kids are tucked in on time. Parents: 1, Kids’ Bedtime Stalls: 0.
While short on time, the new Dinotrux 5 Minute Favourites are big on kid-approved action. Netflix and DreamWorks Animation engineered the new shows knowing exactly what kids love most: re-watching their favourite scenes. The three new 5 Minute Favourites, showcase favourite scenes following the rapid adventures of Ty-Rux and Revvit as they demonstrate important lessons of teamwork and friendship – even among the unlikeliest of pairs. To find these fantastic bedtime favourites search “5 Minute Favourites” on Netflix.
It turns out that the bedtime battle is a universal problem faced by parents around the world. Netflix polled parents across seven countries (US, UK, France, Canada, Australia, Brazil, and Mexico) and found 61 percent of parents who are in charge of getting their children tucked in at night are dealing with their kids’ creative stall tactics at bedtime. All of that lollygagging adds up to parents spending nearly 20 minutes every single night negotiating with kids to get them into bed.
While the bedtime battle is real across the globe, how the antics unfold varies by region.
- Brazilian kids are the best bedtime negotiators. Parents in Brazil are most likely to say their kids’ stall tactics “frequently” work (52% vs 44%, on average globally), with kids in this country most likely to use the ‘”just 5 more min” negotiation tactic (51% vs 42%, globally).
- Kids in Mexico say the darndest things: Parents in Mexico are significantly more likely to say that they give in and allow their children to stay up past their bedtime thanks to cute stall tactics (60% vs. 41%, globally).
- Mums and dads in the UK lure kids to sleep with bedtime bribes: Although they are reluctant to admit it, a third of parents in the UK say that one of the quickest ways to get their kids into bed is a bribe (33% vs. 28%, globally); with the chance to stay up later on weekends (30% vs. 29%) and food or snacks (21% vs. 18%) among the most popular tactics used.
- Australian parents least likely to bend the bedtime rules: Parents in Australia are among those most likely to say they never make compromises to get their child into bed (26% vs. 21%, globally).
- Warning to Canadian kids–don’t try anything cute: Parents in Canada are significantly more likely to disagree that their child’s stall tactics can be too cute or so clever that they give in and let them stay up past their bedtime (61% disagree vs. 51 globally).
- Bedtime in France is a dream come true. Not only is France the No. 1 country where kids get to bed on time most days of the week (5.1 days per week in France vs. 4.8 days a week globally), but parents there also spend the least amount of time getting them to bed (12.3 minutes vs. 17.5 average).
- The US is the biggest bedtime battleground. American kids are the most likely to try creative stall tactics (66 % vs 61% average globally), and it takes parents the longest to get them to bed (19.3 minutes vs. 17.5 minutes globally).
While it is a challenge everywhere there is something magical when silence descends over the house and I get to watch my shows on Netflix!
Disclosure: I am a part of the Netflix Stream Team and receive benefits in exchange for my monthly posts. As always all opinions are my own.
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