5 year old bed time

[Everythinggettingbigger]

My DS is 5.....never slept through the night.....bed time is the same routine every night. ....bath pj's story then bed...I have to sit on the floor in the dark holding his hand until he falls aaleep. ...most nights this is like 45 mins but can be up to an hour and a half 2 hours. It's not like I'm putting him to bed too early. ...usually around 8pm. Any ideas on what to do to get him to fall asleep quicker? I'm currently 18 weeks pregnant so sitting on the floor is going to prove difficult soon

What happens if you just walked out the room? Realistically this can't continue as you'll have the baby to see to aswell.
Think you'll need to do a bit of tough love, cry it out, keep returning to bed type thing it will be hell at 1st but hopefully should get easier in time

I second the need for tough love. Being a parent involves accepting that you do know best. He might like it having you sat with him when he falls asleep, but it is not ultimately good for him to be so reliant on your presence. Or on the amount of sleep he is getting.

At 5 years old he could start having sleepovers with school friends soon. Or going on nights away with Beavers, that kind of thing. You are closing a whole load of doors to him by not teaching him some independence at bedtime.

I'd go for rapid return (its a well documented sleep training method, you can goggle it). RR basically means you explain the bedtime rules and then just keep on talking him back to bed, saying nan-night and leaving. Over and over again, as soon as he gets up, every time he gets up. It will be tiring for all of you for a few days, but with consistency he will get it quickly.

That's my plan after Christmas, things are too unsettled over the next week to start and keep a routine. I just find it unusual that he takes so long to fall asleep in general it's like he can't switch off, he's constantly twitching and wriggling. Do you think it's worth a HV visit in regards to the length of time? Even if he is going to sleep without me...some nights he's losing out on up to 2 hours sleep

If he goes to bed at 8, when is his last screen time? the light from tv/ipad/phone is so stimulating that Id suggest none after 6pm with that bedtime.

Could yoy do story in bed? Set up a chair across the room to sit in and read while he lays in bed. Then compromise with you sat in the chair while he falls asleep - wpuld he take a teddy or similar to hug instead of your hand holding?

Could you try that "rabbit who falls asleep" book that is supposed to send them ti sleep?

Could you try putting him to bed at 7 instead he could be over tired by 8 and that's what's stopping him fall asleep easier. If you put him to bed and walked out what would happen? Would he cry, follow you out the room, scream and shout? ?

I've tried the rabbit book, he has a teddy he takes with him and we always sit on the floor and read a story. With bath time then story etc it's about half an hour of no screen time before he actually gets in to bed, I will try make that longer by doing other activities and turning the TV off earlier though thanks. The rabbit book worked for a couple of nights but that's it.

He wouldn't get out of bed he would scream and shout it is going to need tough love...it's more the amount of time it takes him to fall asleep I think that's bothering me.

Bedtime varies to be honest depending on how tired he is.....it's usually around 8 but for example tonight he was asleep by 7.15pm however I always keep the same routine no matter what time.

Thanks for all your replies it is appreciated. ....tough love I suppose!