It is 4.40pm and it is dark outside. If I put my DC to bed RIGHT NOW what will be the consequences?

[SlubbersRingAreYouListening]

They are 2 and 3.

They have been up since 5.30 am

They have been to a christmas party.

Despite ALL my efforts they refused to have a nap post party.

They are whinging and crying and fighting and snotty and knackered.

They cannot even cope with Dumbo dvd.

So if I gave them tea now, and then bath, stories, bed, how exactly would I pay for this?

they would be up again at 4am

They may get you up early tomorrow. Totally worth it in my opinion, stick em in bed, have a nice peaceful evening and get to bed early yourself ready to continue the madness tomorrow.

yes, that is a situation I would like to avoid.

They might wake up a bit earlier, but not necessarily. Poor little things - they sound exhausted. Just put them to bed and put your feet up.

the getting up at 4am that is.

What time do they normally go to bed & what time do they normally wake up?

If I put mine to bed now, they are 1 and 2, they would probo wake up at 10pm and have a paddy each then go back to sleep till about 2 or 3 am.

agree, its only worth it if you go to bed early too, and be prepared for being up early tomorrow morning.

NNNOOOOOOOOOOooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

they'll sleep for half an hour then they'll wake up and bounce off the walls all night if you're lucky, you'll get them back in bed for midnight.

Keep them awake till 5.40 at the absolute earliest, then settle them gently (and slowly) into bed.

Then tiptoe around just in case.

Why not aim for bed by 6? Not dreadfully early considering what a long day they have had.

The alternative is to try to keep them up and then they will become so exhausted and over stimulated that they will be having nightmares and not sleeping well, or they will be sick.

Slubbers, i feel for u.
I tried this with my ds, unfortunately he treated it like a nap, slept for 3 hours and then woke when i put dd to bed at 7:30. Was in a very good mood but awake until 9:30. [fsad}

Ah, but if theyhave been to a party, they would probo then go back to sleep till around 10am.
I find if they are very tired, they wake up and have tantrums because they are so tired, but do go back to sleep afterwards.

Hiya squonk, my mood has changed to optimistic can you tell?

hi KayS yep, you seem much brighter. Did you get my email?

Give them their tea, the s-t-r-e-t-c-h bathtime for a good 45 minutes. Then stories, with warm milk, then bed - aim for as near to 6 as you can get it.

They are normally in bed asleep by 7 and up at 6.30ish.

Right I am giving them their tea in 5mins, then I will try just doing books for half an hour and eeek out bath time until 6.

And I will be trying very very very hard not to become shouty woman.

the sleep will do them good my daughter was in bed at 6

What time did they crash out

and perhaps more importantly.... what time did they wake up?

lol, well I am on MN at 7.59 so they got up early.....

not too bad really. In bed and crashed out by 5.45 (the plot being completely lost at tea time, despite being given cheerios, the only thing that they will both consume with gusto).

Up at 6.15am.

Also up at 10pm (as pre warned) with general raging and furious behaviour. Very sadly I was out at a ladies night out and poor old DH had to deal with it.

if you'd have told us you were going to be out, we'd have let you put them to bed at 4!

And tbh, if they're normally up at 6.30 ish and they were up at 6.15 ish, that's not too bad.