Three reasons Mums stay up late

Pre-children, nothing was keeping me from my bed. After a hard day at work, I’d happily hit the sack before 10pm. In fact that was pretty late for me. Nowerdays, my bedtime seems to be creeping later and later. Despite the fact I’m equally if not more exhausted after running around after energetic twins, I still feel the need to stay up late. It’s not just me. Lots of mums stay up late too.

At 10pm, I’ll look at the clock and think to myself ‘I must go to bed’ but before I know it another hour has passed and I’m still lounging on the sofa. Why do we do this to ourselves? Surely our bodies are crying out for rest after the day’s chaos.

The problem is, the people we were before children are trying to get out. Our former selves get only  a few witching hours to appear and take charge. You’d think they’d use this precious time productively but nine times out of ten I’m guessing mums stay up late to:

Mums stay up late

Be alone

Maybe not totally alone if you have a partner. However, for at least some of the evening, Stu and I just zone out and stare at our respective screens in silence. I’m not sure how healthy this is but after the constant chatter, discussing, arguing, it’s nice to just have quiet and do my own thing.

Watch rubbish

Whether it’s trashy reality TV, a soppy rom com or just some twaddle to fill an hour, it’s such a treat to watch something that doesn’t require much brain power and can kind of just wash over you. Currently, we are working our way through an American box set, one hour at a time. I’d love to binge watch but (A) trying to find a new series I want to watch can be a mission and (B) that’d eat into my final reason mums stay up late.

To have guilt free scrolling time

Because my girls don’t have much screen time, I really try to restrict myself too. I’m trying to be a good role model but it’s hard. It’s so easy to just check this or that. A quick scroll on Facebook or Instagram can easily get out of hand and is so addictive. After they are in bed, the rules go out the window and I can scroll to my hearts content. I can happily spend a couple of hours hopping between social platforms and blogs.

I do blog in the evening, but most of my nights are dominated by mindless distractions. Maybe other mums are actually doing something useful. I probably should be folding laundry or cleaning but I choose to let former me take the reins for a few hours.  What keeps you up late?

19 thoughts on “Three reasons Mums stay up late

  1. now that are teenager is graduated high school, the only time I get a second to myself is if I stay up past everyone else. I always regret it the next morning when I’m trying to drag the little to school #stayclassy

  2. I’m guilty of all three! Plus I write blog posts after they’ve gone to bed and eat chocolate 🙂 #stayclassymama

    1. I forgot that it’s my secret time to scroffrubbish I wouldn’t let them eat lol

  3. Yes this is me! Like you say, after the kids have gone to bed it’s the only time you can be yourself or get anything done! I certainly don’t do ironing or washing though! It’s usually a boxset for us x
    Thanks for joining #Blogstravaganza

    1. Best of intentions hey

  4. I totally get this. I do love spending a bit of time by myself, without having to be on the ball with the kids! Thanks so much for sharing with #Blogstravaganza xx

  5. I totally agree with this! I actually love my me time in the evenings. Will be even better once we’ve got the twins settled properly in their cot rather than on me! Even more amazing for me is when hubby goes to bed and then I get to watch my shows!

    1. You’ll get there. The transition to cot beds for us was a bit of a mission. We are finally about there.

  6. I’m a lifelong insomniac but there’s nothing like posting up in my bed to watch Netflix and eat ice cream.

    I love staying up late though. It’s quiet and that’s a rare thing!

    #StayClassyMama

    1. Don’t you just love the silence.

  7. Yep I relate to this, especially the guilt free scrolling time, which sucks because the time seems to go so fast X #anythinggoes

  8. Definitely scrolling! I always try to be in bed for 10pm too but it just never works out that way… #BloggerClubUK

  9. My hubby and I do our own thing in the evenings. I see it as we are doing different things together lol. We do have the odd bit of coversation too, but it is nice that we can both do what we want.
    #TriumphantTales

  10. This is me, every single night before I finally reach the point of exhaustion! I am silly but can’t help myself. I need that time for me. #anythinggoes

  11. I stay up later now than I used to – by the time I’ve made lunches and cleared away after the kids bed it’s normally about 8.30 – 9 so I try and have some down time watching my TV shows, blogging, chatting with the hubby. Anything really! #TriumphantTales

  12. Yes yes and yes every single time! But we’re lucky that most nights Ben is in bed by half 7 so even when im struggling to stay away gone 9, its fine as ive had some “adult” time!
    Thank you for sharing this with us at #TriumphantTales. I hope to see you back tomorrow!

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