6 year old won’t go to sleep

[FridayFunday]

My 6 year old DS has been messing around at night for a few months now. Until then he’d been brilliant at going to bed since being a baby. He will come out of his room, wander round the house hiding/ taking his sister’s stuff etc. I’ve tried silently returning him to his room each time so he gets no reaction but he gets angry and starts hitting and fighting me. I’m currently sitting outside his room to intercept him and he keeps coming out and throwing his duvet over me. He has such a strong will. Has anyone else overcome this? I really thought the silent returning would work but it doesn’t. I’m exhausted as work school hours then have no evening support from partner so this is taking the only ‘down time’ I have.

Pre bedtime routine is dinner/ shower/ story/ cuddles/ sleep at 7pm. No screens etc. I am at my wits end- please help!

No suggestions but you have my sympathy. I threaten to cancel Christmas on a regular basis.

Unless my eyesight is playing up, you made your first post just before 7pm.

Isn't that a little early for a six year old to go to bed?

Can you put a eye hook and catch high up on his door on the outside. Put him to bed and warn him that if he comes out of the room you will take him straight back, if he does it a second time, you will ‘fix’ the door shut. Then sit outside his door and stick to the plan. If you are sitting there you can hear if anything too wild goes on in his room and intervene. And dont talk to him no matter what, it takes all the emotional drama down several notches. Be prepared for him to throw a hissy fit when he realises he cant get out and you have spoiled his fun and games. If you can stick to it, you should be able to break this bad habit in 3 nights. It will be three hard nights, but the short term pain is worth the long term benefits for him and you. You both need to sleep.

What time does he get up? Maybe he is ready for a slightly later bedtime? Or a staggered bedtime of 7pm is half an hour of looking at books by himself then lights off etc.