DS sleep issues and sharing with parents

[davyatsea]

DS, aged 10 was taken up to bed at 8.30pm, having attended a session of 11+ tuition at a nearby school. He seemed happy and settled at this time. As my wife and I were going to bed at 10pm, DS announced that he wanted to sleep in our room on his mattress, saying that he couldn't wind down. This happened same night last week and we allowed it as it was half term. However, I was not so keen this time as he is easily woken, and I did not want him woken up at my early start time of 5am. After some protest , he did let me take him back through to his own room. DS is dx high functioning ASD and is on propanol for his anxiety issues. My wife would have let DS stay in our room, but naturally, I wasn't so keen. As a result, I was accused of being mean and a bully. DS is normally allowed to take his Ipad to bed, and to be fair, he is usually good at self regulating his use. Withy early start, I am not certain as to what time he is waking up, although he will use a screen at any and every opportunity. Just wandered what you all thought.

The main stressor is the tuition he has on a Weds evening, which means he is out of the house from 5.30 to 7.30. He does say he is enjoying the tuition, but he is not expressing any anxiety until the point at which me and dw are going to bed.

Maybe try no iPad in his room and other means of winding him down ... My DD not been diagnosed yet but has a baby sleep CD which plays at low volume on loop all night. I can't imagine screen time would help him to asleep and he may even be waking up early to play with it? We have a baby monitor for our daughter so we can hear if she's not asleep and if she does wake up she calls us and we go up to her. I agree he should be in his own room if possible - or your wife could put a mattress in his room and either sleep with him if she gets up later than you, or come out when he falls asleep.