I have two DC who are 4 and just turned 8. They are full on and active. We do a lot with them and they don't spent much time sorting down because they are just always on the go. It's exhausting but that's kids and we embrace that.
But recently they have both starting taking absolutely hours to go to sleep. Youngest has his light switched off at 7:15 and is often still awake over an hour later at 8:30. More recently he's still been awake at 9pm. He's up at 6:30 every day and is just grumpy and tired all the time at the moment.
The eldest is similar, light out about 8 and usually asleep within 90 mins but he's up at 6 or just before 6 every day so he too is absolutely shattered. School have commented and we notice it too. They both need more sleep.
They don't just lie quietly in bed. They wriggle they call for us, they come and complain downstairs. This evening it was gone 10 before they were both asleep and we were up and down up and down from 7:00. It's fucking exhausting. My DH and I get no evening time together. Over 3 hours of tonight. It's not sustainable.
I met some friends the other night at 7:30 and by the time they'd left the house their kids were asleep!! They all have kids of about 4/5/6. What am I doing wrong??? I could take the late nights if they woke late and weren't tired.
I've just cancelled our plans for tomorrow as I know our youngest is going to bee too tired to do it tomorrow so now day 4 of the summer holidays is just going to be boring and shit because everyone is tired and we can't do the fun stuff.
I need to sort it out but I just don't know how. Today I shouted at them both which I hated doing and I can't just shout at them to go to sleep every night ðŸ˜