Help with kids not sleeping 6 and 8

[Sjdtg]

Hi I have 2 boys 6-8 , and I can't cope with bedtime I dread it every night it's an absolute nightmare . My boys just can not switch off . I try so hard every night but it just results in me telling them too get back into bed for hours every single night .
I put them to bed around 7.30-8 . They continue getting out of bed running round , playing, needing toilets , needing drink , feeling ill up until 11 every night . I don't let them have there electrics before bed or TV but it makes no difference. I do the routine of dinner bath bed etc but there's just no winding down for them they just can't seem too lie down and chill .

The older boy now when it hits the time of bed has started screaming stamping his legs shouting like a over grown toddler now . It's just so exhausting I don't know what else too try it's been going on for years . I've asked the school/family center for help which no one has reached out after chasing them many times . I take there treats away when they don't sleep nice , I've tried sleep spray I'm running out off options someone pls have the answer!! X

Could you let them read in bed until they are tired? My 8 year old sometimes doesn’t fall asleep until after 9 (and is has been 10 in the summer) but she’s allowed to read or quietly colour upstairs until she’s tired.

Later bed time maybe?

I know I'm in the minority here but I still co-sleep with my two (6&8) and never have a bad bedtime.
They do arse about and get giddy and I threaten them they'll have to sleep in their own beds if they don't behave, but then they lie down and we have a story and watch a 'daily dose of internet' on YouTube together before lights out. They both enjoy 'sleep sounds' app on the phone.

I usually fall asleep with them tbh (about 8.30) as I'm exhausted (another story) but if not- I get up when they've dozed off and go back downstairs.

Would they entertain sleeping with you? Would you? Maybe they want the connection ? Worth a try as it sounds miserable as things are right now. Good luck 🤞🏽

instead of focusing on going to sleep can you let them read or listen to audiobook as long as they stay in bed? And make sure they are doing plenty of activity / exercise in the day

Hi, is it possible they're getting overstimulated by gaming/tablets etc? Some kids just sort of react more to that sort of stimulation than others. (Fortnite and its ilk are horrendous for that.)

You might be able to access a local sleep clinic for children - have you tried speaking to your GP?

My oldest is 4 and takes forever to just chill out and go to sleep too.
We co slept till he was 3 so we just used to lie with him till he fell asleep but now we have 2 younger ones we need to get to bed too so we had to change the routine.
Bedtime comes and he needs the toilet,needs drinks,food,wants to ask a thousand questions..how do clocks work? Whats 5 million add 8 million? How is poo made? 😅
We've made sure to keep bedtime a nice experience so he feels relaxed and looks forward to bedtime. He has brown noise playing all night and we put this on when he goes into his room.
He has a banana before bed because I read somewhere that this helps kids sleep,then has a story or 2. We then put on the Moshi app on a tablet (where he can't get to it but can still hear it) and he picks a story to listen to. He usually messes about doing handstands in his bed or looking through some books but he doesn't come out of his room and then he's usually asleep about 30 minutes later when I peek in.
I know he's younger than your boys but hopefully something in there that might help! Fingers crossed for you

Yes to the moshi app, the stories are incredibly soporific!