sleep problems in 7 yr old

[popperdoodles]

7 yr old ds was a terrible sleeper as a baby and toddler but fine since then.....until recently. He gets really hyped up and silly in the evenings and messes about calling for this and that then starts crying and saying he is scared. Help we are getting soooo tired.

Don't really know what to do. Do I treat it like a baby/toddler with bedtime routine, gradual retreat type thing or do reward charts? I think he is genuinely finding it hard to get to sleep rather than just being naughty.

am currently sat outside his bedroom door. have told him I will stay there as long as he stops being silly and tries to go to sleep. all quiet so far.....

We had something like this happen last year when DD was 7. We went right back to baby days with gradual retreat. Eventually we realised that actually she just needed less sleep and so now she goes to her room at 7.30 and reads till 8.15. She is usually asleep by 9pm.

Good luck though - I found it very stressful until we relaxed about it IYKWIM