Please please tell me about your bedtime routine with your 3yo

[GwendolineMaryLacey]

DD is 3.5 and has slept with me since 6 months old. One of us takes her up to bed at roughly 7pm and stays up there with her until she's asleep.

It used to be brush teeth, pjs, stories, cuddle and sleep. No problem, she was asleep within 45 mins. Recently it's been a nightmare and from taking her up to her falling asleep is up to 2.5hrs. Lots of fighting, lots of stress and DH and I are at our wits' end.

Today we decided enough was enough. We went out, bought fairy bedding etc and for the first time she is in her own room which she loves and was very excited about. We kept to the same routine as always. But, nearly 2 hours later she's still awake and arsing about. I know she's tired enough but she simply will not settle down to sleep without a fight and it's wearing us down.

I know this situation is of our own making but the question is, what do we do about it? Where do we begin?

[Seona1973]

we go upstairs, the kids get their pj's on, do their teeth and then have a last pee. DS (4 1/2) gets a bedtime story or 2 in his bed then we do a last kiss and cuddle from everyone, switch the night light on and then leave the room. That is him till morning. DD (7 1/2) reads for a bit longer and then me and dh give her a last kiss and cuddle in her room, switch the night light on and leave the room. That is her till morning too.

[Seona1973]

p.s. ds has a 7.30pm bedtime during the week and 8.30pm at the weekend

[SheCutOffTheirTails]

bath, story, song & kiss goodnight, lights out after half an hour

[GwendolineMaryLacey]

I dream of bedtimes like that. Do you think a later bedtime would help. Problem is it's nearly 9 now and she's still running around in her room (I had to leave before I lost it).

[hefferlump]

My DS is 3.7 and I've co slept with him from birth. The biggest challenge for me was getting him to fall asleep on his own but I eventually achieved this after trying all kinds of things.
He still sleeps in my bed so after a bath at 6pm we come downstairs for milk and some TV. Then usually upstairs by 7.15, story, 'chat' cuddles and I come down at around 7.40.

I should mention that we wake up between 6 and 6.30 am so he needs to get to sleep by 8pm!

[cherub59]

Does he still have a daytime nap? If so u might need to drop it......

If ok actually going to bed but then just messing around you could put a stairgate on the door? Then they can play in the room and fall asleep knackered after a bit but can't get out... After 2 nights if that my ds1 decided he might as well just go to bed! We never had more than a couple if nights crying I hasten to add... Am SO not into cc. Now ds1 and ds2 share a room (they are 2 and3) and we do bath, teeth, quick play in bedroom, stickers (first to get pjs on etc gets an extra sticker) one story and into bed. Lights turned off and door shut with them awake. They might chat for 5-10 mins but then fall asleep.

They are incredibly active though so are usually pretty tired.

[GwendolineMaryLacey]

Thanks all. No, no nap anymore. I just put a stairgate on her door because our bedroom is the other side of the stairs and the thought of her stumbling across them half asleep fills me with dread.

I left her to play then she called me up and she was asleep within 5 minutes. The whole thing took just over 2 hours but it's gone 2am now and she's still in there. This is the first night ever she's slept in her own room (not sure I like it!) but it's high time.

Will try suggestions tomorrow.

[cherub59]

Well done Gwendoline!

Other thing I do is leave a non spill cup of water by the bed so they have no excuse to call for me! Just don't give in to last anything... Once the last story is done that's it or they manipulate it! We've been through all those attempts to make mummy stay too and I truly believe it's better all round to be firm fir just a couple of nights abs then they settle. We do make bedtime and bath a lot of fun so they actually look forward to it. Stickers etc we have a massive book if stickers from Melissa & George which u can get on amazon and each boy has a piece of paper on the wall that they can stick masses of stickers on to their hearts content.... Really does work for us...