Please tell me about bed and bath routines for a 4.5 year old and 2.3 year old

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Our DS is 4.5 and we are in hopes that we may be adopting a little girl of just over 2 this spring.

I really need, therefore, to get my head round how you bath, story and bed 2 children of those ages. I recognise it can't be rocket science but would appreciate practical examples!

The kids will have separate rooms. DS in bed (obviously!), potential DD likely to be just into a bed rather than a cot.

Currently DS goes up for bath at 6.30ish - we're usually around in the bathroom or pottering close by. Out 6.45ish, pyjamas, drink of milk and story in his room. Tuck up 7ish, we put a CD on and often sit in his room till he drops off. Never takes long.

Many thanks!

Good luck with your adoption - hope everything goes well!

Sounds like a nice bedtime routine you have for your DS :).

My main advice would be to teach him to fall asleep on his own and don't sit in his room while he falls asleep before his little sister arrives, so that it doesn't seem like "her doing" - and will make things a lot easier for you!

This is how it usually goes with us: 5/5.30ish DD2 (3.4) has a bath while I cook (and go back and forth to bathroom). 6ish dinner. 6.30ish DD1 has her bath while I brush teeth on DD2 and put her night nappy on etc. 7ish shared bed time story for both. DD1 is then tucked in and told good night - drops off on her own. I or DH sit in vicinity of DD2 until she drops oof (5 minutes).

HTH.

Good luck with your adoption - exciting times ahead!
Ds1 (4.10) and Ds2(3.3) had to change routines a bit with the arrival of DD1 (19weeks)
I now only bath the boys once a week when DH is with me and they shower 2-3 other nights. They love the shower now and its a lot easier on me.
Generally - supper at 5pm then shower and pjs for boys while DD has nappy off time/playgym, boys then have playtime/story with DH if around/ or occasionally dvd at about 6pm while I bath DD. DD has bottle/feed and I bring her to settle at 6.45 boys then head to bed at 7.

Thank you both very much. It's good just seeing practical examples written down - like most other things about parenting, if you see how someone else does it you realise it can be done!

They're not that much far apart in age that you can't do them together. I would bath them together at the normal time. Read to younger one and settle her down while your older child plays quietly/looks at books etc. Then read him a story and tuck him up. May end up being a bit later than 7 but that's ok. Just prepare yourself that the whole bath/bed routine will take longer with 2 children! Good luck.

That is almost exactly the ages of my DC and I do this:

Go upstairs for bath at 6.30 - both in the bath together (or DS1 has a shower if me and DH are both at home so we can supervise one each).

Out after 20 minutes each, in PJ's and back downstairs.

Let DS2 watch telly for approx 15 minutes with snack and milk - DS1 may watch aswell or play on the Wii with DH.

7.15 - clean teeth and take DS2 upstairs to bed, read him a story in bed and leave him (he drops off by himself).

Usually play board game with DS1 until 7.45, read him a book downstairs and then take him to bed, have to lie with him for about 10 minutes whilst he drops off.

They share a bedroom which is why we read downstairs for DS1.

Hope that helps and good luck with the sdoption - very exciting