Daylight savings has a lot to answer for!
Putting the children to bed before the sun goes down is not fun for anyone- but although it may seem a little OTT, science has now shown that an extra hour of sleep is well worth it.
Letting them drift off to the land of nod between 6 pm and 9 pm is the healthiest bedtime, according to the latest research - it helps improve a child's cognitive, emotional and physical development.
The Pediatrics study found that children aged 7 to 11, who went to bed even an hour earlier for five nights a week were more alert and less distracted at school.
And the results for even younger children were astonishing - 18-month-old- toddlers were shown to have improved motor function, language and social function if they were asleep before 10 pm.
Obviously, science hasn't been walking the floor all night with a howling toddler getting her back teeth - but it is important to take into account nap schedules, age and other factors when deciding your child's perfect sleep time.
I once got some good advice from my sister - she suggested putting my three-year-old to bed 20 minutes earlier for a few nights and if she didn't resist, it was likely she needed that extra sleep.
Try winding things down earlier - have dinner prepared, bring the dinner time forward and spend plenty of time doing the bedtime story and snuggles before kissing them goodnight.
It may be a short-term challenge but watching those little ones drift off to blanket street a little earlier is definitely is worth a try.
Plus, let's be honest, it gives you more time for you to eat chocolate on the couch.
