I am really struggling with bedtime at the minute with my 25 month old. It has become a nightmare. He has never been a good sleeper, it has always been hard to get him to have a sleep at set times in the day and he never wants to go to bed at night and often wakes frequently through the night. He is now in his own bed as he kept climbing out of his cot. I have tried to stick to a bedtime routine of bath, bottle, getting into bed and watching a story on the TV before going to sleep. (Tried singing, tried a story and Turing off the light found that putting a story on the TV works the best, not ideal I know) but lately he is just reluctant to lie in bed, starts jumping on the bed, trying to climb over the bed, crawl across the bed and everytime I lie him down or pull him back onto the bed he just screams and cries hysterically. This went on for an hour and half the other night. I always lie with him until he has gone to sleep (which I know I have made a rod for my own back as now he won’t go to sleep on his own😞)
I am separated from my husband but have 2 older school children and I have to try and put a film on for them to keep them occupied whilst I take the youngest to bed but they are constantly arguing and coming in his room to tell me which then disturbs him. I try not to get frustrated with him as he is only little but sometimes I can’t help it and then feel awful after and often end up getting cross at the other two for coming in and disturbing him which I then feel bad about because they are just getting fed up of waiting for me to come down.
I just really don’t know what do and would really appreciate any advice or tips anyone has as I don’t want to hate bedtime as much as I do