Revving up at bedtime

[LillyLollyLandy]

5.5 year old DD is starting to drive me mad. Every night for the past few weeks, without fail, she'll be lying in bed after her story half asleep and will then start messing around and disturbing 2.5 yo DS and 4 month old DD2. How can I stop her doing this? She's exhausted but by the time she finally calms down enough to sleep, it's nearly 9pm so she's even more exhausted the next day. Help...

[FATEdestiny]

Is your 2.5 year old having a daytime nap?

If yes, I would put the 5.5 year old to bed 30m/1h before the toddler and be very focused on clear expectations and boundaries for bedtime.

In a couple of months time you can start syncing the youngest two bedtimes.

[LillyLollyLandy]

Thanks for the reply. The main problem is that I'm the only adult present at bedtime so I can't let the 2.5 year old stay up himself. He is still having a nap but only 30 mins before lunch. I've tried to put the 5 year old to bed earlier but she just resists and fights to stay awake!

[FATEdestiny]

Blimey that sounds like hard work on your own!

Your 5 year old sounds like she needs really clear boundaries and expectations at bedtime. It's time to get strict with her and establish that at bedtime you expect her to lie in her bed quietly, and do nothing else but lie there quietly.

[LillyLollyLandy]

She's a very strong-willed child. If I'm honest I am struggling to establish boundaries with her, she is really quite wilfully defiant. She has no SEN that we are aware of but she's always been quite hard to manage. She's a dream if she's getting her own way, of course! Will have a think about what I can do to impose a bit more discipline on things.

[HeyCat]

My two year old gets that kind of second wind sometimes - we think he's about to go to sleep then suddenly he's running around the place laughing like a maniac. In his case it seems to be overtiredness - so if he's like that one day, we give him a longer nap the next day or bring bedtime earlier.