My boys, 4 and 2, moved into the same room together last summer. Now they are starting to play together so they when it comes to bedtime, they have a hard time going to sleep. At first it was cute listening to them laugh but sometimes bedtime can take over 2 hours! Should we separate them?
Wow! You have all provided me with such great wisdom! Since my younger one takes naps, he is less tired at the appointed bedtime most nights. He is also still in a crib across the room so they can see each other. This summer I'm going to try and move him into a regular bed (I'll be back for more advice!). It has worked where I put the older one down first and when he's asleep (in under 1/2 hr), the younger one can then go in the room. It's on the those nights I'm especially exhausted and want to throw them in bed and wish they'd fall asleep instantly that of course it takes 2 hours! Thanks again.
No! It's great for siblings to share a room. I would have set a timer and let them play for a few minutes. When the timer dings that's it...it's bedtime or take away a privelage for the next day. This worked great for a family I babysat while the parents were on vacation. The boys laughed, talked and sometimes even wrestled. Some nights the older boys said he was tired and they went to sleep before the timer even was over. Good luck!
I agree with putting them to bed at slightly different times. It does help to put the older one to bed about 20 minutes later. He feels bigger also. My boys are 4 and almost 2 and we do that with them, but they aren't in the same room--YET. We are hoping to, but are nervous since they don't sleep well as it is. Let me know how it works out for you.
K.,
I put my 3 yr old to bed about 20 minutes after her younger sister, usually the younger one is already asleep and then my 3 yr old also feels special since she has some time just with us....try a little separation for the actual bed time before moving them apart.
E.
nursery times day care
We've had our two girls in the same room since the little one was 10 months old. When the younger one was still taking naps, the older one went to bed first. Then when she was sound asleep, the younger would go to bed. Now that they are 4 and 6 and neither take naps, the younger goes to bed first, and the older one gets put in bed when her sister is already sound asleep. It works great for us and then we get a little extra alone time with each kid as the one who went to bed first is usually awake a little earlier in the morning.
I had the same situation, except that my boys had been together since one was 8 months and the other 2 1/2. I think it's the age they're at, they just want to keep talking, fighting, laughing, whatever. I found I had to revisit the sitting outside the door to teach them that bedtime was quiet time. And every time they started getting loud, I came in and took something away (my boys like to sleep with a bunch of books, so it was usually a book from their bed). After a few nights, they got the hint that bedtime was quiet time and the 2 hours of chatting soon led to earlier sleeping and a much quiet household at night!
Have you tried using a timer? Setting a timer for say ten minutes and when that goes off it means no more talking/playing - then if they continue, the "taking away something or having one come out of the room" part could help. It's just so tempting for them to talk - and natural - but teaching them that there is a limit to the time...might help?
My boys have (5 years and 4 years) shared a room since my younger one was 14 months. They used to play but it has stopped since we got bunk beds. My 5 year old is on top of course. When they were younger and to small for bunk beds we moved the beds so they did not face each other and it helped. When they can't easily see each other they don't play.
I have 2 girls ages 4 and 6 in the same room. I know what you mean when you say bedtime can be a problem. I had them both in the same room when they were 4 and 2, but I ended up separating them. This past year I put them together again, because I feel they form strong bonds during that down time they spend together.
When their behavior gets out of hand--hence 2 hour bedtime routines, I have one of them come and sit quietly in a chair in the kitchen for a few minutes. The time away usually gives the one left in the bedroom time to lay down long enough to become sleepy. The one in the chair usually calms herself enough to go to sleep as soon as she gets into bed.
I'm a mom of three girls, so I don't know how well this will work for boys.
Good luck
No, don't separate them, this is a good bonding time for them. Just firmly but gently tell them that its okay to talk and play, but they need to go to bed when you tell them. Try suggesting to your 4 year old that he reads easy books to the 2 year old, that might make them sleepier and go to bed earlier. Don't worry though, they'll go to bed when they're tired. Don't worry about bedtime taking over two hours, my 2 year old will sometimes sit and talk to his toys for over 2 hours and he sleeps alone!
Hi K.,
Our girls, ages 7 and 9 have shared a room since birth. Some that we did that helped a great deal was putting them to bed at different times. If you put the younger one to bed a half hour earlier than the older one, it gives the younger one time to fall asleep and also provides a little one on one time with the older child. I think our youngest daughter actually enjoys the alone time!
