ds is 3.5 and currently his behaviour is making us both pretty unhappy so I'm desperate for any suggestions please.
we aim for bed around 7 but it's usually 7.30/8 once he is aseep he sleeps fine but the real problem is getting him to switch off to go to sleep.
i do the whole meal, bath, story bed thing we often talk about how we (he) is going to bed and will do so calmly and go to sleep quickly etc etc.
he is pretty tired so if i can get him to switch off will often be asleep within 2 minutes but he just wont switch off, we have leaping around the bed, pulling the covers, throwing them on the floor, screaching about the light or who is there or who isn't there, we have getting up to pinch another pillow we have turning and thumping his sibing in the face we basically have anything to avoid sleep so he's knackered as am I but I am also increasingly frustrated.
I have tried just putting him back in bed I've tried bribing, I've tried rewards, I've tried threats.
how can I break this cycle?
he gets loads of exercise (far too much but that's another story) on the school run
we go out to clubs etc, he gets one on one time but would clearly like more but then his favourite activity is to wake his sibling at every opportunity
all/any suggestions desperately received...
thanks