Predictable messing about at bedtime

[CautiousOptimist]

Is it just me who spends anything from 30 minutes to an hour or more flitting between the rooms of her 4 and 6-year-old darlings at bedtime while they predictably, night after night, dick about?

They need a wee, even though they've just had one. One of them's had a pretend bad dream. One's 'fallen' out of bed. They need water. They need another cuddle. They need a song. One of them's singing and refusing to lie still, the other's standing on his f*ing windowsill looking out at the garden.

I flit from one to the other, trying to keep my voice gentle and relaxed, occasionally lapsing into snappy as I escort one or other back to bed. Again.

It is SO ANNOYING. Seriously, I know I'm not alone, but at what age do they just go to bed with a cuddle and a story and go the fuck to sleep?

I'm lucky enough to be pregnant again with my third DS, due in August, and am just wondering how many more years of restless bedtimes I have to look forward to!

Sounds like they are doing it for attention as they are getting it.

As Jo frost would do, first time take them back to bed with "back to bed, it's bedtime darling/sweetheart/baby whatever name you use'

Second time" back to bed, it's bedtime"

Then every time after that it's silence.

Explain before hand once they are in bed there is no more one more song, story etc etc and follow it through.

Bedtime will be changed within a week, they will get into bed a s go to sleep.

First night or two you will be walking them back to bed in silence a fair few times but they learn quickly it's not worth it and stay in bed.

What pp said. Don't take any crap or they'll take you for a ride.

Mine do this, but I just go downstairs and leave them to it. Eventually they get themselves into bed and go sleep. If I go up it just takes them longer as they start asking me for things!

Thank you for the replies and wise words.
I think things would just escalate if I left them to it, and they would encourage each other. I will be trying the silent treatment tomorrow though. I should have thought of it myself really, but whenever I aim to be stricter I remember some meme I saw on FB about saying yes to one last hug because one day they won’t want one, in a blink they’ll be grown up etc!

It can be so hard to be stricter and easily get stuck in a rut.
Why don't you give them their normal hug and then give one last hug so it's still given but on your terms.

Especially with new baby on the way you'll hugely benefit from a easier bedtime routine.
It's the type of thing if you don't put an end to while they are young they won't ever learn to just go to bed without playing up.