Hi, I am at my wits end with my children- I hate to say it! My children's behaviour before bedtime has deteriorated severely which was due to me working away half of the week for the past 3 months. The work is now complete and since late July I have said to my husband that we need to get their sleeping routine back on track.
Before I was working away, the routine was more or less:
Finish supper by 6pm-6.15pm.
Wash: 6.30pm-6.50pm
Reading: until 7.20pm ish
Bed: 7.30pm
Unfortunately my husband, and I'm really not blaming him as he's done a fantastic job while I've been away, let the timings slip. So bedtime became later and later- until 8.30pm. For the last two weeks I have tried to reintroduce the sleep routine, but the two of them are like a tag team together and ignore what I say. (My brother and I were also very close in age and I really feel for my Mother, sadly she passed away before they were born).
It feels like I am walking through treacle trying to get them back to a routine. Tonight, I stopped reading at 8pm- I had hoped for 7.30pm, but they do not listen and get excited when they can see I get frustrated. I know what you're going to say- don't get frustrated as this won't help. I know this, but my goodness after a while it wears you down. I do love them but I am feeling really fed up with the situation. My son who's 3 is so tried in the morning and I'm conscious from having read various website about the optimal amount of sleep a child should have based on their age. I have explained to my husband that we have to be on the same page with this routine as otherwise it will not work, which he agrees with, but I feel like I'm always having to tell him to step in when they won't listen, or to keep to the timings. Grr.
I'd like any advice on how to deal with young children who are close in age when they won't listen and getting their sleep back on track.