Parents of 4/5 yo - time it takes to settle to sleep

[BsshBossh]

Just need some perspective really. DD is nearly 5 and sleeps really well. She has stories at bedtime but is a real fidget and prefers to play/chat than listen quietly to stories. Then when I say night night and leave her room at 7.30 she will call down to me several times before I get cross with her and tell her to sleep (or else she'll not be able to have X, Y or Z tomorrow). It works but it takes until up to 8pm for her to get the message. She's obviously tired as she's yawning and once settled she stays in bed until 7am. Is this messing about normal and am I just being hard on her?

DS is 4.5 and a good sleeper but has also recently started playing up at bedtime. It's boring and annoying and keeps his younger sister awake to the point of over tiredness so then I have a screaming toddler to deal with too.

I know they're just asserting their independence but yes it's very boring and pointless (I mean - as if I'm ever going to give in ).

My DS1 is 4.5 and he is the same we ignore him and leave him to waffle he sleeps after about half hour wind down from 7:30 - 6:45/7 so can't complain!!... (Have ds2 who is 9mo just to remind me how good DS1 is! )

My nearly-5yo DC1 is similarly chatty etc at bedtime, she takes forever to get down. Sounds normal then!

DD1 is 4. Now and again I would hear her singing quietly to herself 10 mins or so after I leave the room but mostly she just sleeps.

I do stories after dinner though. So bed time is just teeth brushed, jammies on, tucked in and say night night love you, door closes.

My 4 year old is so knackered by the end of every day that he is out for the count about 5 mins after he's in bed. His 2-year-old sister however, is going to be a totally different kettle of fish - I can still her faffing about upstairs now and my 4 year old has been asleep for nearly an hour......She's still in a cot - am dreading getting her out of it.

My almost 4 year old only gets stories when he is in bed snuggled up with his eyes closed. He is generally asleep by the nd of the second story.

My four year old would probably be asleep in five-ten minutes if left to her own devices, but her 6 yr old sister tends to keep her awake. So usually about 40 mins, after much threatening of treat with-holding and grounding!