Bed time routine - 4 year old

[moovinon]

Question about bed time!!

How does everyone get their 4 (ish) year to sleep?

Me and my partner take it in turns to put our 4 year old to bed, and for the past year or so we have lay in bed next to her until she goes to sleep. She goes to sleep within about 30 mins, so it's not too bad, but long term we can't really carry on doing it.

We used to close the door and then put her back in bed every time she came over to open the door, but we would be there all night doing it. She thinks it's hilarious. We also have a 1 year old so worried about her kicking off and waking her up.

What does everyone else do?
Thanks

We talked a lot about it first and then said we we were going to clean the kitchen and would come back in 20 mins.

I lie in bed to read one story, then put some music on and leave.

4 and 5 yr olds here, sharing a room. After the bedtime routine, story, etc they get in bed. They have a yoto plater, abd and take it in turns to choose what to play on it for bedtime (they get to choose out if the actual bedtime cards - sleep stories, bedtime music etc) 2 minutes cuddle/chat each then I go. I used to do the "just going to the toilet/sort the washing/whatever...." so I was back and forth, but they're pretty good now at just laying in bed listening til they drop off.

Stories and song in bed, and then put tonie box on and say I'm going for a 'cup of tea' then I'll pop back up and come give a cuddle if you're still awake. He's never still awake

I'm basically you. We do the exact same thing with our four year old and Tony know how to stop! He shares a room with his five year old brother (bunk beds) so I/DH lie on the bottom bunk with him until he falls asleep while his brother potters about with his books in his bed or sometimes he stays up a bit later downstairs.

If left to his own devices the four year old just starts getting toys out and crashing about, winds his brother up or leaves his room numerous times. We also have a one year old in the next room and he would just wake her up.

So here we are.

No advice but solidarity and hopefully someone will be along soon with the solution!

Don't not Tony!

I was never bothered about them going to sleep quickly. My only rule was they had to stay in bed. The could take any toys they wanted (within reason, nothing enormous) to bed with them and they played until they fell asleep. It was much easier this way.

The same I normal get into bed give a cuddle then ignore and not interact - with phone dimmed reading mumsnet chats for anywhere between 2 to 30 minutes!!!!

Quite often wish I could go to sleep too.

Resorted to bribery. Told our 5 year old if she went to sleep by herself for a whole week, she could pick a toy. It worked and she goes to sleep happily now after teeth brushed, a story, and a 5 min cuddle.

In bed, Tonie box, kisses and I leave the room. We used to lay with her, star charts got us out of it.

Following for ideas. We’re in a pretty dreadful state with our four year old. She got really anxious during lockdown, schools being closed and some other things that were going on for us. Now not only does she need me to go asleep with her, she’ll only sleep in our bed so DP and I barely ever get to share a bed.

The last time we tried to get her to sleep in her own bed, she had hysterics.

I think a Yoto could definitely help but here for all other ideas!

I was never bothered about them going to sleep quickly. My only rule was they had to stay in bed. The could take any toys they wanted (within reason, nothing enormous) to bed with them and they played until they fell asleep. It was much easier this way

Same here. Sometimes she plays with the toys a bit, sometimes she goes straight to sleep but she’s always snoring within 20 minutes.