Could I have handled this better?

[tracyk]

ds is 3.5 yo and is usually very good. (unless really tired).
Last night was a complete nightmare to get him to bed. He normally faffs around delaying bed for as long as poss - but is usually in bed for 7.30pm. I started getting him 'ready' for bed around 6.45ish, doing teeth, moving the play area into his bedroom from the lounge, all normal. But then he point blank refused to get into bed. He was really upset and keep on stamping his foot saying 'no!' and 'I'm not tired' in a really whingy tired voice. So he was obv. way over tired.
I tried getting into bed first to entice him in, bribing, ignoring, walking away from him, locking myself in the bathroom from him. Put his favourite toy in the bin, gave him no TV the next day threat. Nothing worked at all. He just got more and more upset. His room was really dark - so I didn't think I could put him in his room and hold the door closed.
Eventually at 8pm I said - look its dark now - it MUST be bedtime, he climbed into his bed!
He woke up this morning bright and cheery as anything - back to normal.
Anyhoo - any tips for if it happens again? and do I enforce the no TV rule when he comes home from nursery - he seems to have forgotten all about last night!

[Niecie]

It is horrible dealing with them when they are beyond reason, isn't it.

Did he want to do anything else instead, tracyk. Within reason if he wanted to play with something let him but say he can only do it for a few minutes and give him lots of warning when the time is nearly up.

I wouldn't enforce the no telly ban as it is too late. At that age they need to see the results of their behaviour straight away. As you say he has forgotten about the whole thing now and if you tried to stop the telly watching it would probably just start him off all over again.

[tracyk]

No - I kept asking him if he wanted to play. But he said he wanted to do 'nuuuufing' in a really whiney voice. I also asked if he was scared of anything - in case he was scared of the dark. Offered to leave hall light on and door wide open - nope.

[Niecie]

My DS2 is 4 on Friday so roughly the same age as your DS and I would have probably picked him up, put him on the bed and started to read him a story. I have no doubt he would have kicked up a fuss for a bit but eventually if I keep going he would have become interested and settled down.

A variation on that is just to sit down next to him, not say a word and wait for the storm to subside.

Basically, if trying to negotiate with him doesn't work almost immediately, I just ignore him, stay close but don't do anything.

I don't know if it is the correct 'supernanny' style of doing things but it works for us most of the time.

[tracyk]

I do hope it was a one off!