Hi mumsnetters!
Background: two children, age 7 and 5. 7 year old is very easy at bedtime and always has been, 5 year old has always been... I'm not even sure difficult covers it tbh.
Since starting school 5 y/o has always gone to bed around 6.30, he gets tired in the day and this time seems to suit him, any later and you're stuffed with him getting to sleep until 8-9.30. The problem is he'll go to bed absolutely wonderfully at 6.30, but then suddenly for no reason he's awake, messing around in his bedroom, coming out of his room for a poo or a cuddle (which he gets one cuddle then after that he's returned to his room), playing with his toys etc. He's been doing this for a few nights, but because he's going to bed later he's waking up later (he's a 12 hourer, sleep at 6.30 wake at 6.30, sleep at 8 wake at 8 etc).
We tried to put him down to bed later thinking this might help him have less awake time, but he's still WIDE awake and its 8.45. Routine tonight was bath 7pm, Pjs, a bit of quiet playtime with daddy (screen free) then story and bed. I think we just need to cut the quiet playtime, which was introduced because their dad gets home late sometimes.
Honestly I don't know what the best thing to do is. He's quite intelligent and once he knows a button can be pressed he'll do it over and over again, most of what he does is about attention. Like I said we return him to his room without saying anything to him, but it's still attention. I'm getting really disheartened and it's making me resent bedtime with him :(
any help?