Is iy possible that a 6yr old simply doesn't need much sleep?

[OrmIrian]

DS#2 is driving us crazy atm. Over the holidays we have relaxed bedtimes a bit. But it got to the point where DS#1 was going to bed at about 11 and DS#2 was not sleeping until DS#1 got to bed - and then they'd chat and mess about for a while. Clearly not good. They share a room. So this week I have tried really hard to get back into a routine for DS#2 - bath, bed, stories and then sleep. I tell him firmly that he is to stay in bed, shut the door, keep the other DCs downstairs out of the way. Eventually it's time for the older 2 to go to bed - and guess what? DS#2 is still awake! And then he gets unsettled. And all my good work is totally undone.

Apart from anything else I am knackered! I need my sleep. I am at work everyday. Once he is asleep he does stay there so that is one good thing.

So I had a talk with him last night. He tells me he simply can't go to sleep. And he will have been awake this morning about 8.30 and will be bright-eyed and bushy-tailed all day. He runs about, gets loads of exercise.

Short of knocking him out with something what can I do? Anyone got any good knock-out drops they'd recommend?

Heroin?

I don't know. I have a 11yr DS and a 7yr old DS and a 15mo DS. I try and get DS3 and DS2 to go to bed together and then DS1 later on. DS1 and DS2 share a room like your boys. DS2 will not go to sleep until DS1 is there with him and makes up any excuse NOT to even go to their room until DS1 goes later. He messes about and makes excuses up 'my foot hurts' 'I need a drink' etc etc until its time for DS1 to go to bed.
I don't like them going to bed together later on because their room is right next to DS3s room and I don't want him to be woke up! It's not fair on DS1 to go to bed at the same time as the little uns IMO.
SO in short, I'm in the same predicament as you! I am actually considering letting DS1 have the attic as his bedroom but DS2 won't like that one little bit!
Oh and DS2 always gets up first sometimes as early as 6.45am and never later than 7.30am

Essay over!

I was thinking of something less hardcore. Like whisky So glad I am not alone.

We are thinking of converting the loft but that is a long term project atm.

Hi there!

He may really just not need that much sleep. My DS is 8 and has always needed less than his friends. If he is asleep by 10 he will be awake around 8. Asleep by 9/9.30 and awake around 7.

I find the easiest way to sort DS is to start getting him up earlier in the morning.

How about you do a deal with DS2 that he can stay up and extra 15 mins but ONLY if he goes straight to sleep at lights out. If not, he goes to bed 15 mins EARLIER the next night.

Or you could just accept that he is in bed but not asleep and war both him and DS1 that if there is any messing about that there will be trouble. If they are both in bed quietly reading it is not such an issue.

Thanks buda. I am quite happy for him to lie awake and read or play quietly with teddies for a while but not until 11! I guess I will have to play policeman a bit longer and just keep telling them to go to sleep - problem is I am not a night-owl. I need to be in bed by 10 during the week and I am shattered.

My 11 year old was always like this and used to talk to himself for hours before going to sleep at 11pm and getting up for school at 7. However, I have noticed over the last year or so that he falls asleep sooner now that schoolwork is getting harder.
Your ds may get quite upset if he starts really trying to get to sleep and just can't - that happened with us and with our friend's ds.
Fractions and French have cured it now - hopefully, it's a sign of genius?! Rather than insist on him going to sleep, we used to say ' no talking after 10pm as its lights out' and just go to bed.

My ds1 is 6 in Oct and doesn't get to sleep until about 8/9ish usually. However, no matter what time he goes to bed, he's awake and ready to go by 6am and sometimes earlier. He usually only sleeps later than that when he's ill or coming down with something.

Ds2 is 2 and a half and would sleep in longer but ds1 wakes him and dd (who is 7) up when he gets up Nothing seems to get through to him at all no matter how many time we talk about it.