The Clock Strikes 9 PM, But The Kids Are Still Up And Running
For any American parent, this is their worst nightmare. But for parents in Italy, this is an average day. That’s right, it’s completely normal for children in Italy to see bedtime come closer to eleven or twelve PM than it is earlier than ten. Maybe you’re wondering what on earth these kids do all day that results in them being up until the early morning hours.
In Italy, it’s standard to begin evening meals closer to eight at night rather than the standard five or six PM when Americans enjoy the meal. Dinner in Italian culture tends to last a longer period of time, so kids being up from eight to ten alone is likely just from their family’s evening meal. That’s compared to American families whose kids are showered and in bed by eight after a twenty-minute dinner (at the table if you’re lucky).
How Is It Possible?
It’s not unusual for teens and young adults in the U.S to be up into the early morning hours and still wake up at six in the morning for classes, but that’s because parents leave it up to the kids to decide at that age. In Italy, children are simply raised with the ideal. Head to bed at midnight or later, and rise again in the early morning to attend school.
So how do Italian kids possibly live a sustainable and well-rounded life running on such little sleep from a young age? Studies show that kids in Italy have an overall better sleep hygiene and sleep quality, thus explaining how they’re so much better off than the half-asleep high school students roaming the halls in the U.S like zombies.
If the only excuse kids need to stay up later is moving to Italy, I’d say parents may see it as a fair trade.