How to Stay Up Late if You're Grounded

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Last Updated: December 8, 2025

If you're grounded and you have nothing to do, and then you have to go to bed early as part of your punishment, then stay up— That is, after you read this article.

Steps

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1
Find something to entertain yourself. There isn't much point staying up late if you have nothing to entertain yourself with after all. Use your phone, if allowed, or read a book.
- If your phone has been confiscated and you don't want to steal it back, then find another electronic device to use, like an iPad or a laptop.
- Make sure your devices are charged, as well.
2
Gather some snacks and drinks to keep you full and hydrated. It can be extremely difficult to leave your room to get snacks without getting caught if you are supposed to be asleep, especially if your parents are light sleepers. Instead, slowly move snacks and drinks into your room in the hours leading up to bedtime.
- Try not to make it obvious that this is what you are doing. Wait for your parents to leave you unsupervised for a few minutes.
- Sugary or caffeinated snacks can help you stay awake earlier on, but eventually you will crash.^{[1]
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Brush your teeth as normal, wear pajamas if you normally do, and don't go to bed earlier than usual. Remember, the goal is not to get caught, and if you want to go to bed earlier than you usually would, this could be seen as a red flag.
4
Don't stay up too late. If you stay up until 5 am binge-watching the latest season of Stranger Things when you are supposed to be asleep, you will struggle for energy early in the morning, and your parents may wonder why if you have been asleep since 8 pm.
- If you must stay up extremely late, do it on a night when you don't have anywhere to be early the following morning (school, church, etc).
If you plan on leaving your room during the night, wait for your parents to fall asleep, and wait at least 30 minutes after that. Have an excuse ready if you get caught, and try not to be out of your room for longer than you need to be.
6
Keep quiet! Parents are easily woken to the sound of you doing things you shouldn't be doing. Use earbuds if you have them (over-the-head headphones are harder to hide at short notice), or if you don't have them, keep the volume low or off. Only turn on a light if necessary.
7
Know if a parent might be coming in. If your parents check on you throughout the night, know what to look for. For example, if your parents have to go up loud stairs, through a creaky floor, etc, to get to your room, look out for these sounds.
- If in doubt that a noise is your parents, assume it is. It's better to be safe than sorry.
It may seem obvious, but if you have school or something else that you need to be at 8 am the following morning, you don't want to stay up until 6 am playing on your phone. After all, you don't want to end up in even more trouble than you are already in!

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Tips

Next time, avoid getting grounded in the first place.

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Use the restroom before the time frame.

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Turn the brightness down on your TV. Another sibling or parent will spot it and punish you even more!

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Warnings

Getting caught with this would likely mean getting grounded for longer.

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Be extra cautious if you have a baby sibling who has a monitor. It can pick up TV or game noises and amplify them right next to your parents' ears.

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If you have a sibling, choose a time frame after they fall asleep, as they won't hesitate to tell on you!

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Symptoms show you stay up late if you do it long-term.

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