Anyone got any tips for getting your kids to sleep?

[daisyjones45]

My daughter is 6 next month and it's honestly hell getting her to bed each night. She's up and down the stairs for hours some night. Has even broken toys as any excuse to get out of bed. Anyone got any advice? Also what time do you put your children of this age to bed?

I still have to lie with my almost 6 year old. It's annoying but less stressful than the alternative. I actually quite enjoy the stories and watching her nod off. We no longer have to be touching so that's progress, some nights I can leave her while still awake to put my pjs on etc and she'll fall asleep by herself.

She's always been a night owl so 9pm seems to be her default sleep time no matter what time I do bedtime. I've given up trying to do it early as it's pointless. I was always the same so I don't bother fighting it. 8.30 is usually when we do teeth then straight up.

Not short of drugging them. However, I can promise you that once they become

Oops

Once they become a tween, it is all they will do!

May the odds be ever in your favour.

Yours, a once very tired mum.

DS is 5.5. As with a PP, I also just stay with him until he nods off. He goes up at 7pm but bathroom and pjs can take 20 minutes. He is allowed some drawing time in his room and then we have 'talking time' in bed until he nods off, which is typically 8.30pm.

We did a bit of popping in and out for a while with our youngest dad (5) who had never fallen asleep alone nor slept through. I'd say I needed to get something from downstairs or put some clothes away in our room next door. But I think getting her a Tonie box for her 5th birthday was what really helped. We still do a couple of stories and she is happiest of someone is upstairs but we haven't needed to stay in her room whilst she falls asleep since buying it. Any audio book/music would do the trick. But the novelty of getting some new Tonies helped here!

Youngest dd - not dad 😆

7pm. We read downstairs from half six, I put her in to bed with a kiss and a cuddle then say goodnight and that’s it. She can come down for the toilet but other than that she knows I’d put her straight back. Her four year old sister had the exact same routine. They share a room.

The first time they get out of bed say "DD, it's bed time, see you in the morning" as you put them into bed. 2nd time, you say "it's bedtime". Any times after that you don't say anything at all, just lead them back into bed. When they know they're not getting any attention from you, they soon give up. Worked with my DS.

Can she read well? My 8 year old night owl has been reading in bed since around the age of 6. I do have to remind her to stop reading but more often than not she falls asleep when she's tired. My younger one we still have to sit with or she'll sit up playing all night 🙈

We got a very large adorable cat when she was just 4, he basically lay on top of her so she couldn't get out of bed.

He was her night nanny for over a decade 💕

5yr old mostly stays in bed, if she comes out it’s in middle of night due to growing pains, nightmares etc. Bedtime routine consistent, not too early as I found she wouldn’t be tired enough. Lights out by 8 and she’s usually asleep within minutes. She frequently gets reminded not to come out of her bed unless it’s an emergency.

My youngest is 6 in March. I try to get him into bed by 8 but sometimes it's 8.30, just depends how tired he is really. But neither of mine are particularly early risers, at the moment they're getting up at around 7. if your dd gets up earlier she might need more sleep. But I find at this age is when they don't necessarily need to go up at 7 anymore.

An awful lot of vigorous exercise, a good bedtime routine, a sleep mask, bedding suited to her and, counterintuitively, a later-than-usual bedtime all have had a positive impact for us.
The first few fixed night wakings, and the last change saw her getting off to sleep much earlier than before.

DS (5) listens to an audiobook on his Yoto at bedtime and falls asleep to it. He used to be out of bed all evening but now is happy to lie there and listen and usually drops off. Bedtime is between 7-8 depending on how the day's gone.