Dcs won't go to sleep...please help.

[Santaselfhasarrived]

As the title says really, I put my dcs to bed at 8pm and most nights they don't end up going to sleep until 10pm sometimes later, dts1 didn't go to sleep last night until 12am
They are constantly up and down coming in and out of their room, then in the morning they won't wake up.
I'm absoulty wrecked as I'm going to bed later each night, I really don't know what to do anymore.
Any suggestions would be very gratefully received.

take them to the park after school - or do some exercise outside instead of tv don't give them cola or chocolate (caffeine) - give them warm milk before bed (suppose to help sleep) use lavender help sleep & here is a weird one - lettuce is suppose to help!

Keep the iPad in your room! And all other electronic devices. To be honest if mine got up in the night I would lock the devices up and ban screens altogether for a month. (I’ve actually done this for much more minor offences!)

I would have no screens after school. Or at least reduce it to 30 mins and only on some days. They don’t need it every day.

I would also remove toys from their room.

I would consider introducing star charts for good behaviour and a good bedtime would earn them rewards.

But the question in my mind is why is your child waking up in the night? Mine are fast asleep and only wake up for the toilet or illness! I would definitely speak to the doctor.

How are they at school?

Also I would consider putting them in separate rooms if you have the space. As it sounds like one DT is the worst sleeper.

Poor you, it must be exhausting.
I agree that 8 is fine for bedtime (ds1 is 7 and was waking at 5.30 when we had a 7pm bed time). However unless there are extra needs, there is no reason for the faffing.

Noone on this thread seems to support positive reinforcement but I'd try that first

1. Can you make a sticker chart - each night they are lying in their bed until a given time they get a sticker and 5 (or 3 if 5 is too big a stretch?) gets something good. It doesn't need to be fancy, my eldest loves going out to a cafe with just the two of us and getting some one on one attention and a hot chocolate, or having friends over for dinner on the weekend

Also to help I'd suggest

1. Loads of exercise. An hour of screen time each night suggests to me they are not doing enough - mine would never have time, after clubs or time mucking about in the park, then walking home, then doing homework/reading, dinner, bath etc
2. Hide the iPad and the remote control to remove the temptation

They are generally good boys, so the only issue I have with them is bedtime.
They also go to clubs 3 times per week so are very active, although I probably could take them to the park for 30 mins after school when they're not at their clubs.

In regards to punishments for other behaviour, I remove all electronics/toys and they don't get their pocket money for a week, sometimes longer depending on what they've done.
They have star charts for other things so I'll add staying in bed to it.

@Believeitornot, They're excellent at school I have no issues there. I will speak to my gp as I really don't think I can go on like this for much longer.

I only live in a two bed flat so don't really have the space to seperate them, although I have tried putting one in my bed and the other in their own bed, but I still get the same result.

believe me I do go batshit at him
With ds 8 that’s pointless if anything it just winds me up more because he just looks at me and that makes me cross.
He used to be up and down all the time for hours.
It was a phase and had now passed but ignoring him helped, so if he came back downstairs I refused to put him back. I turned the tv off and lokkef at my phone whilst he kept talking. He stays in bed now.
Also took the x box away the next day if he got out of bed, no chocolate if he got out of bed no tv etc. But also introduced a sticker chart, if they as a team get enough sticker they got match atttax cards, we didn’t jerk individual scores just team ones.
I’d take away all electronics till they stay in bed

I feel your pain, I have a night owl too. Recommended sleep for 7 & 8 year olds is 9 -11 hours a night though...10pm to 7am is 9 hours. Some kids just need less sleep (unfortunately)