Please help me establish a decent bedtime routine before I lose the will to live.

[OneForEachHand]

I have two small, rather nocturnal children.
DD is 2 years and 9months and DS has just turned 1.
They're actually pretty good sleepers when they finally get to sleep, which is (recently) about 10pm.
However the getting them to actually settle down and go to sleep is a nightmare.
We moved house a few months ago and since then our routine has gone to pot, they both go to sleep downstairs while watching a film (I know, I'm a terrible human being) And then we take them up to bed. Before we moved they went straight to bed after a bath at 7, in their own beds.
Now we're stuck in this new, ridiculous routine and I'm dying to get back to the old one, but they kick up such a huge fuss when I try and put them in bed that I give up because I'd rather not have them screaming the house down.
What do I dooooo with these children? Persist? Give up? Try something else?
Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

I'm no expert ...but I think you probably have to grit your teeth and implement the new routine. They will scream..course they want a film etc etc.

You could be nice and buy some new bath tots or something and bribe then slightly .... Or stickers for going to bed

I think you have to have a bit of a rethink and cine at this fresh. You are the adult and they are children. You have decided there will be no more TV before bed but instead there is a fabulous new routine with a lovely bubble bath ( new toys?) then a great couple of new books from the library or some songs or whatever. Then lights out. There will definitely be some resistance as they aren't used to going to sleep alone but if you are firm then they will soon get used to it.
Good luck!

Good suggestions, thank you.

It definitely sounds like a plan, I suppose I just have to be strong on this one. I'm the type of parent who just wants an easy life and it tends to come back and bite me because admittedly I do let them take over rather a lot.
I have told DD that tonight I'll be bathing her and then snuggling up and reading some books and then it's straight to sleep, she seemed enthusiastic but this usually ends up with her asking for book after book after book until I have to put my foot down and then she kicks off.
Perhaps I could use the good girl for Christmas card although I use that one quite a lot already.
DS isn't as bad, unless he has a late nap but I kept him awake until after lunch today and he's due to wake up soon so fingers crossed...

I'd say this is a great time to start a new routine.

Especially since you DVD player has just broken!

Do you have any Christmas books on hand? Can you make a big deal about getting the first bath in December, maybe a hot milk with 2 or 3 wee marshmallows ( or hot chocolate?) and then into pjs and read the Xmas book. Talk to them about Santa ( balance with giving/receiving of gifts to family and friends!) about what will happen on Xmas eve and Xmas day.

Tomorrow let them watch an Xmas movie EARLY and keep building up from there?

DD became an awful sleeper almost literally overnight aged 3. Distraction worked for a good while.

Meant to put a after the DVD player comment!

Oh lord. They're both in bed. Asleep. It has just gone 7:30.

DD was so knackered because I kept her awake all day that she fell asleep during the third book.
DS was equally knackered since he hadn't slept since I last posted and he just let me plop him down in his cot and dropped off without argument.
DP and I have the downstairs all to ourselves.
I am one proud mama right now!

I think it must just be the naps in the day that mess it all up. It has never been this easy.

Cheers!

Yay! They knew you had posted on mumsnet and had your determined mum face on :-) . Enjoy

They must have known!
We'll see if tonight goes the same way.

Let us know. Remember - if you mean it they will
Know!

How's it going?

Sounds good. In future to save reading hundreds of potential books can you not just impose a limit? Ie every night 3 books before bed? Then they will learn to pick 3 and that's it until morning

Forgot about this thread!

After the first night of golden behaviour it went downhill again.
DS now cries when I put him in his cot, clearly he knows my plan and isn't having it.
DD isn't so bad now which is a relief - at least she's old enough to understand me, however they've got a knack of keeping eachother awake, I swear to god they have some form of communication going on.

But still trying and often failing with the hope that they'll give in eventually. They will... Won't they?!