what happens at bedtime once you leave the room?

[IAmBooyhoo]

at my house we do bath then story and i allow my dcs (6 and almost 3) to read for 10 minutes after i leave the room. but this isn't what happens. they get in and out of bed and take more books from the shelf, start playing and carrying on, jumping around the room and sometimes wreck it. ds2 will come down the stairs crying because ds hit him. i will take him up, get ds1 to apologise (whether deliberate or accidental) and tell them both that it is lights out and they must go to sleep. they both agree but as soon as i am downstairs again they start fighting. ds2 is on way downstairs crying as i sleep crying that i turned the light out and he cant read his book. i used to not let them read after i left and i turned the lights out but they misbehaved anyway so i thought giving them 10 minutes wind themselves down would help. it hasn't.

what do i need to do?

as i type. i am awake i promise!

anyone? it's now been an hour and a half since i left the room after the story. ds1 has settled down adn is trying to sleep but ds2 keeps coming downstairs, he's been asking for a bottle (he hasn't taken one in about 6 months), a nappy (i put one on him), to read more stories ( i said no), to have his itten on bed with him (i said no). he's still coming down and shouting 'mummy' at the stairgate.

I think 2 is too young to leave to read without an adult. I'm assuming they are in the same room? I'd settle the little one first with a story from you, let the older one read somewhere else and go to bed 30 mins later so hopefully little one is asleep. Once in bed lights need to be out.

My 4yo gets a story from one of us, then lights out and sleep. My 8 yr old is allowed to read in bed then we come and turn the lights out when it's time to sleep. They aren't in the same room though. 4 yr old will be left to read to himself when he is happy to do so.

Poor you, sounds abit like bedtime here. No advice, but I'm watching with interest.

I agree about staggering bedtime. My 2 don't share a room but ds goes to bed half an hour before dd (3 year age difference). Dd gets to read while ds gets a story before lights out.

all gone quiet now. ds1 said he had a sore tummy and wanted a basin so ds2 decided he wanted one too. the kitten has been left to eat her dinner in peace.

i used to stagger their bedtimes but found it didnt help ds2 to settle when ds1 was still up either banging about in teh bath or just in my room reading. ds2 wanted to stay up with ds1 and would keep coming out of bed to talk with him (if in the bath) or try and play with him. that's why i changed to putting them to bed together.

ds1 was a really easy toddler and jsut went down at 7 without any trouble. he was always asleep within 10 minutes. i can't cope with these 2 hour bedtime marathons.

i will try staggering bedtimes on tuesday evening (ds1 has scouts tomorrow so it isn't usual bedtime) and see how we get on.