Bedtime/story routine for room sharing siblings

[QueenofKelsingra]

posting here as I assume larger families are more likely to have room sharing going on....

When DTs move to beds in a few months we will be moving DS1 in with them too, so we will have 4yo and 2x 2yo in together. currently they all bath together, DS1 gets out, pjs on and watches a dvd downstairs while we sort DTs - pjs, milk and story. DS1 then gets his story in bed.

I'm trying to work out the logistics with the 3 in together and obviously DS1 wanting different/older age range stories from the DTs. how do we do this? I don't want DS1 staying up late until the DTs are asleep and then sneaking in.

so please share your routines if you have siblings sharing! Thanks!

[purpleroses]

When mine were about 4 and 1 I found the best routine was to read story to youngest first, and then read to DC1 in the bedroom while DC2 drifted off to sleep. She didn't follow his story, but quite liked falling asleep whilst I was still in the room and she could hear my voice. I would speak quite quietly.

Can't remember what DC1 was doing whilst I read to DC2 - possibly watching TV downstairs. It's definitely easiest to get all children into PJs at the same time.

[thereisnoeleventeen]

I have 3DC's ATM, 2 share, DC1 in own room.

DC1 is trained to do quite play in her room once in her p.j's, she is under strict orders not to interrupt the younger DC's bed time routine (DH gets home from work 9,10 or 11pm so for my sanity I need them all to get to bed without a fuss).

DC2 and DC3 are 18 months appart in age. They both choose a book and we sit in the front room to read, DC3's book first, then he goes up to bed. By the time we have read DC2's book DC3 is usually asleep so DC2 creeps into bed. Then I go and read to DC1 in bed.

That said, DC3 decided that he no longer wanted a bottle of milk at bed time quite early on, he is usually settled at 6.30/6.45. DC2 is then in by 7. Not all DC's will go to bed that early though I guess.

[QueenofKelsingra]

thanks both.

currently they bath at 6.30pm, pjs at 6.45, DTs in bed by 7pm, DS1 by 7.15pm.

sometimes they go straight off, sometimes not so I was worried about having one sneak in in case the others are not yet asleep and it wakes them all up again. but I guess they get used to whatever routine is put in place.

I was wondering if it would work me on one side of the room with DTs and DH on the other with DS1 for stories.

[mercibucket]

we use our bedroom for stories so they get proper individual time and can talk, then through to bed

but mine are older

at that age we did one story each but in the same room and the others listened from nearby in bed

[Kefybaby]

Watching with interest. Just two DC but 3 years apart and with very different sleeping preferences (older could be up all night reading the whole bookcase, younger loves her sleep and routine). We are about to move them together in the same room. Currently we do same bath, pyjamas for both, DD1 plays in her room, DD2 has milk and songs in her cot in our bedroom and finally DD1 has stories in her bed.