I said my kids need less, and they do when little, but my middle DD needs more than her sisters and for all of them the gap with their peers is less as they grow up. My 5yr old and my 9 year old both get 9:30-10 hrs, they go to bed (and sleep) 8-8:30 and wake up (6:15-7). My 5 yr old needs more, she's my child that needs more than her sisters, and we are working really hard to make that happen but as you say modern life makes it hard.
It's more when they have been little that they seem to need less. My youngest is 18 months and sleeps 10hrs max over night and 1.5hrs during the day. If she naps more she both has trouble getting to sleep at night AND wakes up more through the night - then she naps longer and the cycle continues. But if we can keep her on an even keel of one 1.5hr nap smack in the middle of the day then our nights go okish. 11.5hrs is not a lot of sleep for an 18 mth old. My eldest was like this too, she gave up naps at 2ish because if she napped then she didn't sleep at night and ended up with less sleep per 24hrs. Where as DD#2 has always been able to nap if she was tired and still go to bed on time. She had regular naps for at least an extra 18 months and random naps right up until school, in fact she still does.
Interestingly, #1 is 2E with an unclear LOG. #2, my best sleeper, with highest sleep needs, is so far quirk free and HG. #3 I think is more gifted than her sisters but I don't really know at 18 months, nor do I know about quirks...
Last edited by MumOfThree; 09/06/11 08:04 PM.
