DS1 is driving me to distraction with his messing around at bedtime.

[katierocket]

He's 6 years old and it takes about an hour for him to go to sleep. General messing around, getting up - need a drink, need a wee etc. He has been through a difficult time; we've recently moved, he's at new school etc but god it's painful. I end up shouting at him which obviously is horrible and, I'm sure, not the best thing to do but it is so frustrating.

He's a bit past star charts etc - any ideas?

How about a really jazzy sticker chart with the reward being a sleepover at half-term?

Worked well for a friend.

I'd give him a warning 30mins then again 15mins before bedtime, 5mins before i would get him a drink and get pj's on and make he goes to the loo and brushes teeth then I would say in a firm tone "now no messing about tonight I want you to be a big brave boy and show mummy how good you can be and go to sleep you have had everything you need so there is no need to get out of bed." Then put him to bed, give him a big cuddle and kiss perhaps a story/ let him look at a book for 10mins then go back in and turn the light off/ down, leave the door ajar (whatever to keep him calm).

If he did then come out of his room I would talk him back again and again and again until he got the message there was no point coming out until morning.

If he really pushed the limit I would probably say if you come out again I will put you to bed earlier tomorrow night.

You could try the star chart if you think it would work. You know your child best and know what makes him tick.

What time is he going to bed? What time does he get up?

take not talk!

Does he enjoy stories on CD/tape? I find this a surefire way of getting my boys (6 and 5) into bed. If they misbehave at bedtime, no story. They choose them from the local library.

If it makes you feel better dd (4) takes 2 hoursish to go to sleep. Up to bed between 6.30 and 7, stories etc, then she's often not asleep til 9.30.

Sorry no help just sympathy (and waiting to see any good solutions)

What time does he go to bed? Have you tried making his bedtime a bit later - my ds used to do this and I think it was because he wasn't tired enough or ready to go to sleep. I made his bedtime half an hour later and that seemed to help.

When he did get up and mess around I used to just go downstairs and ignore him, he soon got bored and got in bed and eventually went to sleep.

What about reading, will he sit in bed and read/look through a book?

Thanks all.
He goes to bed around 7.30ish but last night it was 9 before he was actually asleep. He gets up between 6.30/7am.

We do give him prior warning of bedtime and we've talked about him making a fuss etc but he doesn't seem to be able to help it.

The only thing that has ever helped is if he sits in bed and looks at a puzzle/maze book but lately that's just prolonging it because he looks at that and then gets up.