OK I know I just seem to moan whenever the kids are off school but it's like they become possessed or something and go out of control.

For the past two nights I have had screaming from upstairs that someone is bleeding. First DS2 slammed DS1's finger in the door which ended up bleeding and bruised - then tonight DS1 pushed DD1 into DD2 which results in a huge bleeding lip for DD2. I just dont know what to do with them. I tell them to stop mucking about and go to bed but they dont. When I turn lights out they just turn them back on. It got to the point where I actually removed the bulbs in their room but kept the landing one on for a bit but when it gets too late I turn it off but they always try to creep back out and turn it back on.

I expect some messing about at bedtimes as their rooms are connected and there is 4 of them in the two rooms but it can go on till almost 10pm if I dont turn the light off. It seems it's only after someone is hurt that they settle down and go to sleep. They just seem to have never ending energy no matter how early they get up or where they have been they are not tired at bedtime but I dont want them downstairs late as I think 7pm bedtime for little kids is fine baring in mind they are all under 6 and get up by 7am.

Also it means that I end up putting the baby down later than I would like as I cant put her to bed in my room (she's 6months old) while they are still running about, banging and making noise so she is kept up till 9.30 sometimes 10pm even when I know she could go to bed a lot earlier which isnt fair on her either. I need some adult time.

Any ideas?

Kay.

hi,

ive got 4 children

ds2 is nearly three, he goes to bed a 7pm, dd is 4 she goes to bed a 7pm, they are in their own rooms.

Ds1 is 6, he goes to bed at 7.30pm, and shares with ds2. usually he doesnt disturb ds and by then ds is reasonably calm. ds 3 goes at 7.30 - 8pm depending on how organised i am. he shares with dd and she doesnt stir even if ds3 cries. i dont think it would be easy if they all went together in one room. the staggering does mean they dont have anyone to play with. also their rooms are very basic, beds, wardrobes, drawers, a few toys but not many.

id suggest staggering bedtime and see hoow it goes

hth

Gemma

Hi Kay

No words of wisdom because mine are just the same! The boys share a room and DS1 has always been a terrible sleeper. DS2 always used to be a good sleeper but now he just will not go to sleep until his brother's in there and then they play and mess around until I end up losing my temper with them! No amounts of threats seem to work.

We've just got back from holiday and every night they were up until around 11pm, played up when it was time to go to sleep and were up by 7am. I had less sleep on holiday than I do when I'm at home because I just have to have that winding down relaxing time after they're asleep.  I really don't know where they get their energy from. Even my 3 year old was up until late then up early and she only had about 4 days out of the 11 we were away where she had a nap.

I would also say to stagger their bedtimes but this is something I do anyway and it doesn't actually work for me LOL! My eldest is 11 so her bedtime is 9pm but she finds so many things she 'has' to do before getting into bed it's actually far later by the time she goes to sleep.

I have so much to do in the evening and I yearn for the days when they were all asleep by 7.30pm!

Hi,

 Sorry I don't know how old your kids are, but I too, would stagger the bedtimes

I put my younger ones up by 7.30 pm latest, DD2 (4) goes up with no fuss at all,  and so does DD1 (11, she goes up at 8 on school days as she has to leave the house at 8am). 

But DS1 (9) is awful he could keep going all night if we let him.

We make DS1 go to bed before DS2 (22mths), they share a room, and he has to be laying still or asleep when we bring up DS2, we make  a point of saying it's not fair on Harry for DS1 to be messing around as Harry needs to go to bed.

Could you not put bubs to bed, then stagger the other childrens bedtime saying they have to be quiet so they don't wake the baby???