Bedtimes that drift later by 30 minutes nightly produce tired children, stressed evenings, and worse mornings. Specific consistent bedtime is one of the highest-leverage parenting habits — both for the child's development and for the parent's evening sanity.
What it requires
Bedtime same each night within 15 minutes. Wind-down routine starting 30 min before (bath, books, talk). Lights out at designated time. Resistance occasional and managed without negotiation.
Once established, bedtime becomes ritualised and easy. Most resistance comes from inconsistency — children push harder when they know the boundary is movable.