Advice needed on putting 3 yo & 10 mo to bed single handed

[reikizen]

Evening all. Back at work and working shifts in August which means DP will be putting the girls (3 yrs and 10 months) to bed alone some nights. Any advice on the logistics of this as they both now go at pretty similar times and DD2 takes a while to settle. How do others manage?

I have a 3.4y gap and often have had to put them both to bed.
I let the older one play in his room while I put the younger one to bed, then do the older one, if necessary going back to the younger one.
Presumably the younger one will be having a bottle, could DP give her that while reading a story to the older one?

I get DS1 to read DD2 a story while I am giving her her bottle in my room after a joint bath. I also leave an hour for the whole process. He is a bit older but it could work if she talked through a picture book. That way they both get settling down time upstairs with you and then when its time to sleep its off into their rooms for sleep, quick 3 minute cuddle and tuck in in each room, do the baby 1st as then you can give the toddler alone time with you before you have to go back in to DD2.

However, if MY DP was doing this, he'd leave them both running around with biscuits in hand until they fell to the floor! V. impressed with yours!

DH works shifts and I put ds1 (3yrs 7mths) and dt's 13 weeks to bed on my own.

This is what I do

5.50pm start running bath & getting all nappies, bedclothes & towels ready
6pm ds1 & dt1 in bath (dt2 at bathroom door on floor)
6.05pm dt1 out of bath, dried, dressed and laid on floor at bathroom door
6.10pm dt2 in the bath
6.15pm dt2 out, dried, dressed and laid with dt1
6.20pm ds1 washed then out of bath, dried dressed
6.30pm ds1 in front room watching cbeebies (front room & nursery on same floor)
6.35pm in nusery feeding both dt's in their gro bags semi darkness
6.55pm dt's fed, winded and in cot. Blind fully down, night, night - leave room.
7pm ds1 into bed with drink for stories, may end up running backwards and forwards a bit if the twins don't settle.
7.15pm light out, sit with until asleep (5min max - I know this needs sorting but daytime wetting more important)
7.20pm wine opened & on mumsnet!!!

when dh is here we do either ds1 or dt's so they are in bed quicker and there is no telly.

also add this is me doing this - not sure that dh would manage/cope at all