Teenager doesn't get out of bed until midday

[food4thought]

Hello folks,

I have a teenager boy who doesn't get out of bed until midday. He watches tv until gone midnight. This is his regular routine during the holidays. Is this normal for most boys??... any suggestions on how to get him to wake up at a more reasonable time, so he doesn't miss the whole morning....

[MrsChubbs]

Sorry food4thought it is totally normal teenage boy behaviour. Take heart they grow out of it.....eventually.
My only proviso on tolerating this is, is in the run up to exams. If their body clock is used to getting up at lunch time, they will not be at their best for any exams they have in the morning. Try to explain this with the carrot that once exams are over they can wallow all they like with no aggravation from you.

[Sally-Anne]

any suggestions on how to get him to wake up at a more reasonable time, so he doesn't miss the whole morning....

Short of an electric shock, no!

Totally normal, I'm afraid. Mine (no longer teenagers) will sleep until 2-3pm if they can get away with it. One or two of their friends are early-birds, but the rest are all the same as mine.

[food4thought]

thank you for your kind responses. I'm going to try a trick on him, i know he likes tennis so I'm going to get him to join a tennis club that starts at 9am lol that will be cruel but might work.

[streathammum]

Why, though? Almost all teenagers sleep late. I did (I'm female), my friends all did, it was and is normal.

Is there something in particular you're worried about? Is it that he's not pulling his weight around the house or doing his homework? Or do you just not like him sleeping in?

You could try the tennis thing, and he might well enjoy it, but will it end just making him tired and grumpy afterwards?

I agree that in the run-up to exams you need a consistent approach to mornings, but presumably you wouldn't then want the distraction of a tennis lesson anyway.

[Stokers]

There is now evidence that, as children reach adolescence, their body clock does, in fact, change and they need to go to bed later and get up later. (ref Sarah - Jayne Blakemore and other adolescent neuro psychologists). It is unfortunate that our education system cannot permit such flexibility! My DS is the same and would sleep soundly to 11-12. He, however, doesn't like chopping and changing from weekends, weekdays and holidays and prefers to keep a fairly consistent sleeping pattern - until the summer hols (and this year, when GCSEs finish in 15th June) when all bets are off and he'll sleep till goodness knows when!
OP, as long as he's doing his homework and chores and doesn't expect feeding when he gets up, I'd leave him to it and enjoy the peace!

[scary mum]

Same here, it's been 2pm some days this week. We even struggle around exam time...

[Tolstoy]

Not just a male teen problem and I still do it Often I get more work done when I stay in bed so he may be working diligently

[Sally-Anne]

Not just a male teen problem and I still do it Often I get more work done when I stay in bed so he may be working diligently

Ah, yes, that old defence: "My brain's still working while I'm asleep, mum ..."

[Tolstoy]

Not sure how much some of my DCs brains work when their awake.