DC mucking around after lights out and driving us insane!!

[AngryFeet]

Our DC share a room and have done since they were very young. We have moved now and we do have the space for them to have their own rooms but they want to carry on sharing for now (as they get scared alone) so we said ok and they share a big room with beds on opposite sides (about 2.5 metres apart). Anyway until about a year ago they were really good at going to bed and just falling asleep no faffing about. Then last summer they started mucking about (probably because it was so light) and ever since then they have gone through phases of being good and lying quietly/falling asleep quickly to being horrible devil children.

Currently they are the latter and it is driving us mad. They have a good bedtime routine with wash, teeth, story and cuddles with both DH and I there. We then say you need to stay in bed and read quietly or go to sleep, if you don't do this then we won't do xxxxx tomorrow (that they are looking forward to).

Our house is averagely large so if we are cooking in the kitchen they can get away with mucking around a bit before we hear them so we often go and listen at the bottom of the stairs. If we hear them making they get one warning and if we hear again they get that thing taken away and we do deliver this threat and they are disappointed but they will do it again the next night anyway. Sometimes they are just being loud and talking or playing but sometimes, like last night, they are doing really naughty stuff like 4yo DS has torn off wallpaper by his bed or found a pen in my room (which DD climbs over a babygate to get to) and drawn on the chest of drawers or thrown the pillows and sheets and some off their clothes around the room.

We tried separating them and they sneak back into the others room as they are lonely.

HELP!

[knackeredx2]

I have boy/girl twins age 7 and am having similar problems. I have taken to standing outside their door and saying "no talking" at the first sound from either. It's somewhat boring (understatement!) but net bedtime has gone down from 2 hours on a bad night to 15 - 30 minutes, so worth it in the end. I do think summer sun is a major problem at this time.

[Danthe4th]

Have you blackout curtains?? what time are you putting them to bed, too early or over tired and too late??
I would get the spare bedroom set up with a bed and the minute they play up they are seperated.
I agree with knackered and would stay outside the room until they are settled.

[AngryFeet]

The bedtime routine starts at 7 and they are down by 7.30 and we go downstairs. They are 6 and 4. I am going to get some blackout blinds as they have a south facing room so it stays very light for a long time this time of year. The curtains they have are thick but not good enough really.

[AngryFeet]

Bump

[Deliaskis]

My sister still has a baby monitor (a video one) for her 3yr old, which gives her an idea of what she is doing after lights out, and so it's easier to make the decision of when to go up, i.e. before she gets out of hand. Could you maybe borrow one off someone for a few weeks? If they know you are 'watching' them, they might be more likely to stay in bed, then they will get out of the habit - and you needn't tell them when you decide to remove it.

Sorry if people think video monitors are sinister, but we find ours really helpful.

Also agree re separating them as soon as they play up, and permanent end to sharing if they really won't settle together.

D

[Runoutofideas]

Mine are the same - I've taken to sitting just outside the door and jumping on the first sign of trouble!

[whyme2]

I have 3 dc who share a room and the youngest goes to bed around 7 and the older two (aged 6 and 8) go about 30 mins later. They did all go together until the light nights started this summer.

I would suggest seperate bedtimes or seperate rooms ( i haven't that option) but I still need to do the standing outside the door trick or general tidying on the landing/my room until they are settled.

[thebird]

I feel your pain Angryfeet and could have posted the same myself. DCs are 7 & 4 and have gone from perfect angel sleepers to complete horrors at bedtime. I've tried stickers, no tv and various other threats/ bribes but nothing works. Think I will have to give in stay upstairs until they are settled but watching thread for any other bright ideas!

[nomadwantshome]

Yep same here, dd7 and ds5 little sods now the light nights are here. Tried putting dd to bed an hour later, it was calmer but they didn't go to sleep ealier. I really don't want to do the sitting outside but I kind of feel we should do this.

[evolucy7]

My DDs have just turned 4 and 5 sharing a room, DD2 has always needed less sleep, but actually DD1 has now also started to appear to need less sleep, and I have the same problem at bedtime. I now actually aim for a slightly later bedtime and it seems better. They now go to bed at 8pm and get up at 7.30am the same as normal. Do they perhaps just need less sleep now, so are not actually tired that early?

[MadameGazelle]

Our DS' have also started doing this (age 5 and 3), also coinciding with the light nights, no advice but I feel your pain think we will also stagger bedtimes and try and get the youngest asleep before the eldest goes to bed