DS has never been good with scary films/TV programmes and for that reason we don't watch any. He has occasionally seen bits of scary films at friend's houses and therefore knows he doesn't like them.
Recently he asked if we could watch the first Harry Potter film, and after a long chat about it I agreed (like an idiot!). We watched it together and he enjoyed it a lot, but not the bits with Voldemort in. After the film, predictably, he refused to sleep in own bed. This was 4 weeks ago and he simply will not go to sleep in his own room, or if he does he will wake in the night and come into us and we all end up bed hopping so that he doesn't start screaming and wake up DD.
I am sure that initially he was genuinely scared. We have always been happy to sit with him while he falls asleep but this hasn't been enough this time. I now think that this is simply about getting his own way and controlling bedtime. I really don't think he is that scared anymore. I have seen him grinning as soon as he gets his own way etc.
So we are at wits end and there is far too much losing of tempers going on. I have started a sticker chart with the reward being tickets to football (he is obsessed), but so far he only has 1/10 stickers and he got that because friend was having sleepover. We have done a lot of talking and reasoning but he simply refuses to even try.
This morning, after a horrendous bedtime and bed-hopping at 4am I told him that, since he doesn't use his bedroom I would give it to DD, turn her room into a study, and he could sleep in our room on blow-up mattress. He can chose one small box of toys and books to take with him. The rest will go in the loft.
Feel as though I am losing already scant marbles.
What would you do????!