for those whose kids share a room

OK.... I need some major advice. My DH and I aren't seeing eye to eye on this one and I would love to get some feedback on what to do.
My boys have always shared a room. The week before Thanksgiving they got 'big boy beds' (since they figured out how to crawl out of their cribs!). They have done so well with their beds. They have stayed in them, nap, sleep etc. Well in the past 2 weeks that has started to change. They talk and talk and keep each other up. My DH says let them talk till they wear out- but they stay up until after 10 (they go to bed between 7-7:30- always have).Plus at nap they won't sleep. Also, Trevor has been crawling into bed with Tyler and they stay up and play.

So, I started seperating them. I put the PNP in our room and put Trevor in it (since he hasn't figured out how to climb out like his bro and b/c he always gets up). Within 5-10 mins of being seperated they are asleep. At nap I let Trevor stay in it, at bed time we put him back in his bed after he's been a sleep for a bit.

We're not at a place where we can put them in their own rooms without a lot of moving around (plus they would be upstairs and we would be downstairs- and we're trying to sell out house!) otherwise I would do that (although if I have to I will).

So, any advice? Do I keep seperating them? I don't want to create bad habits by putting Trevor in the PNP all the time. Do I let them talk it out until they go to sleep????

We need some consistency and I'm just not sure what it the right thing to do!

Help! Thanks!

 

OK.... I need some major advice. My DH and I aren't seeing eye to eye on this one and I would love to get some feedback on what to do.
My boys have always shared a room. The week before Thanksgiving they got 'big boy beds' (since they figured out how to crawl out of their cribs!). They have done so well with their beds. They have stayed in them, nap, sleep etc. Well in the past 2 weeks that has started to change. They talk and talk and keep each other up. My DH says let them talk till they wear out- but they stay up until after 10 (they go to bed between 7-7:30- always have).Plus at nap they won't sleep. Also, Trevor has been crawling into bed with Tyler and they stay up and play.

So, I started seperating them. I put the PNP in our room and put Trevor in it (since he hasn't figured out how to climb out like his bro and b/c he always gets up). Within 5-10 mins of being seperated they are asleep. At nap I let Trevor stay in it, at bed time we put him back in his bed after he's been a sleep for a bit.

We're not at a place where we can put them in their own rooms without a lot of moving around (plus they would be upstairs and we would be downstairs- and we're trying to sell out house!) otherwise I would do that (although if I have to I will).

So, any advice? Do I keep seperating them? I don't want to create bad habits by putting Trevor in the PNP all the time. Do I let them talk it out until they go to sleep????

We need some consistency and I'm just not sure what it the right thing to do!

Help! Thanks!

 

K&K have to share a room, we have no choice. I let them talk until they fall asleep as long as it is quiet. Sometimes they read a book, sometimes they sing, sometimes they do a puzzle. As long as they are on a bed (sometimes Kayla goes into Kyle's) and quiet I let them do as they wish. If they start playing, getting loud etc then I warn them about closing the door, taking the books etc. Usually a warning is sufficient but there have been a couple random times I have had to take something away. They know I am serious if I have to warn so that usually is all it takes.

 

Like Dianne I have no choice but to have my girls in the same room. Mine have gotten better but they have their nights that they are wound up and don't go to bed quickly. My rules are a lot like Dianne's rules. They are allowed to talk quietly, read or play with the toys that they have on their beds but they have to stay in their own beds. Some nights are tougher than others but they know what the rules are. If they don't behave then the next night they get no bedtime story.

 

My boys will stay up sometimes too late. As long as there is no fighting or fussing, then I say try to wait it out and see what happens. In the mean time, making them nap seperate I dont think is a bad idea. Good luck!

 

That was about the age that my girls gave up naps. If they did nap, they would be up talking, getting out of bed and bedtime became a fight. When I dropped their naps they were out like a light at 8pm sharp. They actually got more sleep by dropping their naps because sometimes they'd still be up by 9:30pm when they napped, and they were only napping about 45 minutes at that time. Try adjusting their daytime schedule and see if it helps.

 

I also have no choice but the put them in the same room. In fact mine still sleep in the same bed. And they won't go to bed if the other one doesn't come too. Mine have also started dropping their nap and are usually very tired by 7:30 and fall asleep within a half hour of going to bed. I go to bed with them, since I work long hours that's our special time to be together, we sing songs in their bed until they fall asleep. What I enforce is that once it's time for bed they both have to each be lying in their place, no horsing around. If they start horsing around, I put up the crib rail and leave the room, that's usually enough to get them to lie back down so that I will come back in the room with them.

 

My two are two days older than yours. We were/are in the same situation now. However, I was not going to give up on naps. I know they still need them, I need them and they still take them at daycare(2 days a week) At the suggestion of another twin mommy(a year older than ours and still napping/time to self) I separate them at nap time. One goes in our bed and usually is asleep in five minutes. They other is in his bed. They are back to their normal nap schedule. Now bed time, they go to bed at 730 the light goes out at 8 and they talk/play for 1/2 to 1 hour. Not my ideal, but it seems to be working.

good luck.

 

I'm taking to heart all the advice you're getting. I have no choice but to keep mine in the same room. We already have crib tents, but I'm noticing little finger holes that are getting bigger every morning when I go in there. I tried the toddler beds once already and it DID NOT go well. I think I have about another week left until I'm going to have to bite the bullet and put them in beds. The day I tried, Matthew was bothering Mia so much she couldn't go to sleep. I know it's just going to take a lot of consistency on my part to keep them in their beds. We're losing naps now as it is, I know the beds are going to be a challenge.

Crystal

 

We are going through the same thing my girls are 2 years 4 months and i am on day 5 of very little sleep! Sophia is playing around in room til close to 10 (bedtime is 8) Anya is asleep in minutes, but worse then that is that they wake up at least 4 times each during the night crying at the baby gate for mommy and as soon as they see me they get back in bed i tuck them in give them back their soother and sometimes five minutes later they are up, some nights they go back to sleep, other nights they seem to have a 2 or 4 am play time in their room.

I am at my wits end today and thinking its time for the soother to go and maybe they will sleep better also thinking of moving into another room of the house so i am farther from them and less disturbed, since i hear them and am at their bedroom door before i am even awake. going to DH to bring home a time today so i can start waiting 5,10,15 minutes etc. before i respond.

Any thoughts on this
Jenny (very tired and teary)

 

James still does his naps in the crib since he will not be still, as for night time, a solid routine really helped him, plus not having anylight on discouraged his playing. Not sure if it will be the same for twins tho...good luck!

 

I would seperate them. Letting him sleep in the PNP isnt going to start any bad habits. I think sleep is more important than them staying in their "own" room. HTH!

 

Thank you so much for all the advice! I so appreciate it!
Well, my guys still need naps too- so the past few days I just seperate them at nap time (one goes in the PNP in our room- the other stays in his bed) and they go to sleep pretty quick. I also don't let them sleep more than 2 1/2 hrs which is pretty much when they wake up anyway.
The past 2 nights (I was actually out) but my DH put them to bed (7:15), let them read in their room for 10 mins and then did lights out. They stayed up and sang and talked until 8:00-8:30 and then finally fell asleep. They have woken up 1/2 earlier in the mornings now though too! I guess if they are asleep by 8:30 I can deal although it's hard for me to let it go. We've decided 8:30 will be their cut off and then we'll seperate them if they are not settled.
We'll see how things go tonight when I'm home- they probably won't sleep!!!

Thanks - I'll keep you updated to see how it goes!