Sleeping - ie, they won't!

[FedupofTurkey]

2 ds (7 and 4) share a room. The younger ds goes to bed earlier in the hope he will have settled down before the older one (very rarely this actually happens!) they keep each other awake, are in and out if bed and their room, waking and disturbing the other ds (9) trying to get to sleep. I am forever up and down the stairs telling them to get back to bed. Bedtimes are a nightmare. Anyone got any advice?

What have you tried so far, assume you've done things like sticker charts? What time are they both going to bed and are they getting enough time outside during he day?

Not tried anything, need ideas! I'm only there occasionally and my have never had a problem with my own ds.

They're my partners kids, they go outside when its dry, the younger ones goes to bed at 7.30, the older one at 8. They don't seem to need lots of sleep although the younger one starts to get tired and silly after 4pm so i'm surprised he doesn't fall asleep. Then they are both tearful the next day cos they haven't had enough sleep.

Ok, so what sort of bedtime routine do they have? is it bath, books, bed? Have you also tried putting the younger one in bed at 7? This might give him more of a chance to settle.

They have bath, never done books though I've tried, then bed. So nothing out of the ordinary.

Really don't know sorry, have you thought of asking for the thread to be moved to sleep? You may get a few more replies ie not just me