What am I doing wrong?

[MarmMummy]

Bedtimes are just rubbish at the moment and I currently have a hysterical 4 yr old upstairs. I get in from work at 6.30 and then aim to do hellos, bath, stories etc and get her and 5 yr old DS in bed by 7.30. It's not happening. They want to play, they get hysterical if told no because they are tired, my DD finds every excuse to delay things and it seems impossible to find time to speak to both children about their days, hear reading etc.
I feel like bedtime is getting later and later and they are getting tired and I am getting shouts.

Help!!!

Bump

Get home earlier? Ask for flexible working, so you can leave earlier and maybe work from home some days? Not always possible, but that may help.

Not an option unfortunately... Think I need to restructure it again so they each get their moment! Might ask nanny to hear reading too.

Actually I think the reading is important to do with you - I would ask nanny to do baths and pyjamas before 6.30 (my lot often have a bath before supper as it fills in that horrendous end-of-afternoon phase nicely!) so that when you get home it's just winding down, reading and stories etc. Trying to fit baths and pyjamas into that hour is massively stressful when they're clearly desperate for as much of your company as they can get.

Do they need a bath every day? Could you read their story in the bath (which I used to do with my two DSs and they loved it - I used the side of the bath to do puppet shows!).

As they get older move their bedtime to 8?

Hurray!!! It's 7.20 and DD is asleep. I am
One happy mummy
Nanny had both in bath so I just had to finish them off and still time for chat, play and stories

Now to prise DS away from iPad.....

Thanks for ideas

Hurrah! Here's to the wins.