Two weeks ago we moved my almost 3 year old son into his 4 year old brother's bedroom. It seemed to be going well at first, but now bedtime is a disaster and the boys are getting more and more overtired every day. We need help!
Prior to this, bedtime was 7:30. around 7-7:15 we would go to separate bedrooms (hubby would take one and me the other) sing songs/read a book, and kids would be asleep on their own by 7:30. They have always been super easy about going to bed.
Since we put them in the same room, we have kept the same routine, just done the songs/story together. The problem is once we leave the room the boys start to play. Sometimes it is just whispering and other times it is full out jumping on the bed. The problem is mostly with the younger child (being the instigator) but they are both guilty. Unless I sit in the room until they fall asleep, they don't sleep! It is not unusual now for them to be up until 10:00 :(
What would you do? Thank you all for the help.
A.
*EDIT*
To answer some questions...
1) Yes, the boys have to share a room. No other options. I wouldn't change it if it didn't need to be changed.
2) We have disciplined. We have taken away items, spanked (not often as it really doesn't work) and taken little guy into a crib.
3) Their room has only their beds in it, no toys. We have never allowed toys in their room.
4) It would be helpful to hear specifically how you handled this situation with your kids.
Thanks
Is there a reason why they have to share a room now? Can they just go back to having separate rooms? What about having the 3 year old go to bed 30 minutes before the 4 year old? Just say, he's younger, he gets an earlier bedtime. Get him down, then read stories, etc to his brother outside the room, then he goes to bed too.
I remember this hassle when I was a child. We kids loved to play. I remember my parents coming in frustrated trying to get us to settle down. lol
I suggest that you try having one boy go to sleep in another room and then move him to his bed once he's asleep. I remember my parents doing that with my littlest brother and at least he got some good sleep.
I also suggest that this is something new for them and when the newness wears off they'll settle down more quickly. I would try taking a book and sitting outside their door so that my presence would remind them to not talk and play but I wouldn't be bored. It will help to have a routine developed.
I agree it is mostly newness... It will wear off. You might give them a jar of marbles each. They start out with 10 or 20 marbles a piece. Each time you hear one talk, you take a marble out. At the end of the week, if they still have some marbles, then they get to do something fun with you or your husband. This will get them to monitor each other as well.
Good luck!!! I hope you keep your marbles as well!!!
We do rewards for those that stay in their bed and are quiet. It works sooo much better than threats and punishments.
Their room should be a cozy and inviting place to be...not a lot of distractions and toys. Do a sticker chart...reward type system. They get a sticker under their pillow once they have fallen asleep and were quiet at bedtime. Then the sticker goes on the chart, they get a big hug and high five in the morning and pick out a small treat to eat after lunch. Once they have 5 stickers on the chart they get to something special(keep it small but exciting) Or tell tell them you will put a small treat or little "treasure" under their pillow if they stay in bed and they are quiet. They should do this individually..not a team effort.
Good luck and best wishes for a better night's sleep!
My SIL does this with her boys and she says she has to put the younger (2 yr old) to bed first, 645. The 4 yr old then goes to bed 730. At 4 he seems to understand not to wake up the younger child and it a privledge to stay up later with mom and dad. He gets some special time with mom and dad and knows he will lose that if he disturbs the other child.
Put them back in their own rooms.
Sharing a room isn't all it's cracked up to be.
LBC
discipline them!!!!!! make real consequences for them, and really there is no need for you to sit in there, that is a really bad habit to start. if they really love to share a room, when they start in with the playing seperate them for the night. if it keeps up the next night try again. if they wont stop jumping on their beds, take their beds out of the room, make pallets for them to sleep on on the floor. remove everything but their beds from the room so it is solely a room to sleep in...there are a hundred things you could do, you just have to keep trying and be consistent, doing something once and giving up teaches them that they are in charge and can do what they want.
I stay in the room until they are asleep. It is a change that they will eventually get used to. They will soon be staying up until later and later as they don't need so much sleep time so just be consistent and they will get back on their schedule.
