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Very possible… ranch kids in the West are particularly affected. In fact, some communities where we lived in Montana, have dorms for the kids to board during the week. If you did a club that met before school, you could easily be leaving home around6AM in order to get to the school on time. I walked to high school, but took a train to elementary school which added a whole 'nother level of complexity to my day.
It is really cruel to do this to high school aged kids. Every study shows that this is not a normal start time for their bodies.
Schools aren’t designed around the needs of the kids, they are designed to meet the needs of adults. I’m really surprised we still have summer vacation given school’s role as babysitter.
Actually, high schools are designed around the needs of the after school sports programs. Has nothing to do with the teachers or parents. Really should have been modified years ago. Make THOSE jocks get up early, not the orchestra members.
I imagine the first kids picked up would have to be at the bus stop that early. I only rode the bus to elementary school, and then for Jr. high and high school I was a “walker.”
I got my driver’s license when I turned 16 and was able to drive to school for the last two years.
I would say the idea that the Spanish ‘take a nap’ in the middle of the day is antiquated. Yes, shops and local stores close from 2-4/5, but as @Malagachica said more for the owner to go home have lunch (our big meal) with their family, have a few quiet moments before returning to end out their day. Most ‘shops’ are open 10-2 then 4/5- 8/9. People here in Barcelona that have regular 9-5 jobs typically work 10-7/8 with an 2 hour ‘siesta’, which is just a long lunch. I honestly don’t know anyone who goes home and takes a nap during Siesta. Maybe every now or then, but not regularly.
As for bedtime, we typically eat dinner in the 10/10:30 range, but this is not a typical large American meal, it is tapas with a few warm dishes. On a normal night at home, we would go to bed the 12-1 time frame. However, eating out in Barcelona is a cultural thing and many times we are at friends for dinner or at our local Tapas place, if this happens bedtime is closer to 1-2. We are usually awake by 9, as the day starts around 10 here. This is during the week. On the weekends we usually do not eat until closer to 12 and typically get home from dinner in the 3-4 range, yes, dinner not going to a club/bar. Most clubs don’t even get started until 4ish.
School for our young (6yr) neighbor starts around 8/8:30 and he is done at 2ish but stays after until 4ish. His parents work ‘strange’ hours for Barcelona, and go into their offices early in order to be able to do after school activities with their kid
I know when I lived in a hot country those were the hours I kept and I most certainly napped between 2-5. That said I was a child. I have no idea what the adults were doing
Late reply to this thread and probably irrelevant now that it’s morphed into a discussion about the benefit of naps (lol, love this place!). I agree with whoever it was that said it all depends on the tone in which the guests asked. If they requested nicely and politely, that’s fine. If they demanded that you be quiet as if you’re a desk clerk in a hotel, that’s not fine and would annoy me a lot.
I would invoke my super-icy stare (it’s a bit scary, believe me), then smile and be very quietly and overly polite. Nine times out of ten such an approach shames the rude guest into appropriate behaviour. The 1% that don’t get it, well I shrug, avoid them as much possible, think of the money and count the hours until they leave.
I get your point, though! When guests make reasonable requests, hosts should generally comply where they can. My comment didn’t really help the OP in their dilemma about how to handle different kinds of guests in their set-up, I realise that. But it’s basic human nature to be more amenable to a request when it is put politely than when it is presented as a demand. I’ve been doing this for a while and had hundreds of guests: believe me, they respect you and your place a lot more if you don’t bend over backwards. I don’t want to be vulgar but when you do that (bend over) you tend to get…err…shafted, frankly.
A woman arrived this evening needing 2 extra blankets, etc. and then went to bed at 9PM. She is a very light sleeper and everything is keeping her awake. The guy in the next room is writing a medical exam tomorrow and the woman upstairs works long hours.
But she can hear whispered conversations, the people next door (it’s a semi detached house) etc.
I got her another room immediately but she doesn’t want to move tonight because she has too much stuff.
I can’t live like this. I don’t even want to go into the living room. I called Airbnb and told them about the switched room. I also told them that I don’t think this will work out and that i will co-operate fully with alternate accommodation.
Emailed her the same.
Oh dear… this guest is clearly not a fit. Lean on Air daily to get her out. Cancel her reservation if you have to but just get her out. There are no atheists when it comes to bad Airbnb guests… so please, stay proactive and get this person out. You should never have to put up with a guest who’s making you uncomfortable. Keep us posted, okay?
I have more than one Airbnb room in my home. I had already stripped the bedding on an alternate room and, as I pointed out to her, I could have it ready within an hour. However it was 9:30 P and she was too tired and had too much stuff and didn’t want to make the move.
In other words, she sulked.
This morning is a bright, sunny day. Her room is empty, and there are 4 nasty emails. I read them, and she did make a point that was worth considering. The rest was ranting.
I am very pleased with myself for being both courteous but firm. I daresay there are much worse guests out there. But I also have the common sense to recognize a lose-lose situation, and a lousy review.
Tomorrow I will arrange the refund. I’m a bit tired of accommodating her today, you see. My only regret is the impact that this had on the MD in the next room writing an 8-hour exam today. I’m praying for him!
You could buy her cheap earplugs and just let her be. If she is a light sleeper, she must be aware of this herself and must be accustomed to not sleeping well. If you have a rule about quiet hours be sure to respect these hours, and outside of these hours do what you would normally do without tiptoeing.
. I don’t know what you look like, but I certainly had a flash of your eyes when reading those words…