How do I deal with this?

[Sonny23]

Ds is 4, have always put him to bed and he goes straight to sleep and he slept through the night.

Recently had started waking 3/5 times a night before I went to bed, then once I was in bed would sneak into my room.

He wriggles a lot so kept trying to get him back in his room but he'd keep returning.

These last couple of nights have been awful. He has become extremely extremely clingy to the point I can not leave his sight during the day. When I go to bed he is hysterical saying if he closes his eyes he can't see me, so he can't close his eyes. The other night he was up until almost 5am (broken sleep between) then dd was up at 6.30

I feel awful but tonight I ended up telling him off because he was not calming down I'm just so so tired.

Has anyone got any advice? Please?!

Can he share with his sibling? For company? My two share (one boy and one girl) because they have bad dreams.

The best cure for bad sleep is loads of fresh air and exercise in our house. Dd keeps having nightmares but if she does plenty of running about etc, walking etc then she sleeps through.

When he first started getting bad he said it was because he wanted dd in his room, the room is tiny but I managed to squeeze her in there too, she was a real bad sleeper too, but she started to improve but now he wakes her up in the night when he's going mad

They do need to get outdoors more tbh, we've had a hectic few weeks so will try getting them out more.

I don't think it's nightmares though as it happens before he even goes to sleep.

My 4 year old was the exact same, I found what helped him was keeping his routine exactly the same every night, and I started to read him a story while he was cuddled up in bed. And when I was leaving I repeat "night night sleep time love you" every night, if he gets up (a week so far of him not) I walk him straight back to his bed without speaking to him and no eye contact. I have found this has helped. But it has taken 3 weeks of sticking with it before I seen any improvements x he also has a teddy of mine that sits on my room all day and he takes it to his room at night x I hope you find some tricks and tips that work for you and your little one x

Thanks Luka, will try and be more rigid with the routine. Have given him my dressing gown to hold instead of his blanket, it seemed to help last night but he was more unsettled tonight. Hopefully it will pass soon

I hope you manage to find something that works. Nothing worse than broken sleep. I still can't shut my sons bedroom door over yet and have to creep around like a ninja 🤣 but no matter what you try honey. Don't give up too fast as the more you show them that it won't change the more accepting they will become to what you are trying to do. Some nights I feel like just giving in and letting him sleep in my bed just so I can get some sleep lol but have to keep talking myself out of it x

Try some positive brainwashing. Towards the end of the day read books about toys going to sleep or play a game involving relaxing and bed being a warm and safe place. Talk about how you made sure you have super comfy beds in your house, how warm they are and hard to get up as so lovely. Yawn visibly when putting DC in bed and say you can't wait to sleep.

I did this early on and mine love their beds complete nightmare to get up sometimes

Does he still go to sleep to begin with? Is something in particular waking him up? It could be something like threadworms (or maybe I am projecting because mine complain of not being able to sleep/needing a wee/feeling uncomfortable and then it turns out they have worms!)
But the other advice has been good about tiring them out and sticking with a routine.

Choc, good idea will try that tonight!

Loubie, some nights he falls asleep in minutes with no problems, other nights he's screaming that he can't close his eyes because then he can't see me and he needs me there, he was actually treated for worms a few weeks ago. I don't know if he actually had them, he kept saying his bum itched so I took him to the doctors, I need to take him back because he's had the treatment but still complains about it.

He actually stayed in his room last night for the first time I can remember! But I did end up having to go in quite a lot, eventually I fell asleep on the floor (on accident) and woke up in a lot of pain!