help me fix bed time

[rhetorician]

it just isn't working. I've DD1 (almost 6) and dd2 (just turned 3). Today we have: had no screen time at all; dinner at just gone 6; bit of running about; upstairs at 7.10, pjs, teeth, stories. Into bed, I tell them a story. So far, so good. But here we are an hour later with them still mucking about - DD2 is the main problem, endlessly calling for us, getting out of bed, asking for food, but no amount of threats/rewards makes any difference. They have to get up at 7 for school/nursery. If you just walk away she cries, keeps her sister from going to sleep or gets out of bed. Putting them to bed later doesn't seem to make any difference. We try to leave the room by 7.45 most nights.

Here is what I want to happen, all of the above, up until the telling a story part. Then I want to kiss them goodnight, and close the door. Why is it taking so long for them to go to sleep - most nights it's close to 9 and I don't think 10 hours sleep is enough for either of them, frankly

Try giving them a different bed time? Settle DD2 first at 7ish, then have a story downstairs with DD1, and she can go up half an hour later.

maybe - DD2 is the problem though, but maybe she just needs to go earlier. Not sure she'd take kindly to it, but it's worth a try - it's absolute torture at the moment

Bit of running about?
Keep it calm after dinner?

Could you do the rapid return thingy, where you silently return them to the bedroom every time they leave and don't engage at all.

I'd definitely try and put dd2 to bed 20 mins before dd1. Could you have dd1 in with you for a few nights so not disturbed by crying etc on an air bed or something?

I did a star chart at that age - a star for going to bed and staying there quietly; when you get 5 stars you can have a reward. Worth a try?

all these ideas worth trying I think. I did non-engaged return tonight and it was definitely better, but then she sobbed and cried and wanted DP