Gotten into a bad bedtime routine...

My DS1 (3 1/2 years old) shares a room with his twin brothers (22months). Early on, I got into a habit of putting the brothers to bed at 7:30pm, but I let DS1 stay up because I didn't want him to disturb the babies or keep them from falling asleep. Well, the brothers are getting older and DS1 is still falling asleep on the couch and I take him into his bed usually when I go to bed myself. DS1 usually falls asleep anywhere between 7:30 and 9:30. A very big range, with the average being right around 8 Pm.

Now, I'm thinking that it might be about time for DS1 to be able to just "go to bed." I don't think it's good for him to always fall asleep on the couch and it's getting harder for me to carry a 50 pound toddler to bed every night! But I know if I send him to bed around 8-8:30 then he's just gonna make a fuss and wake his brothers up. Would you adjust the babies bedtime to be a little later? Maybe try sending them ALL to bed at 8 Pm? Or do you think 7:30 is an ok bedtime for a 3yo? I don't want to make him to go bed early and have him just lay in there making a ruckus, and i don't want to keep the babies up too late and screw up their sleeping (although I wouldn't complain if they started sleeping in the morning a bit later!).

So I was just wondering what ya'll would do to correct this situation. Any words of wisdom or advice would be appreciated. Sorry for the long explanations. TIA!

 

I only have the babies so not sure if my advice is what is best but... I would change bedtime to between 8-8:30 and send them all to bed at the same time. However, I dont know if you can really count on them sleeping in later since our babies get up between 6-6:30 every morning no matter what time they go to bed.

If DS1 is going to pre-school soon it will be good to get him used to a set bedtime anyway. Rather than the sometimes 7:30 sometimes 9:30 that you said he has been doing so he is used to going to bed in bed at a certain time everynight.

Does he get to stay up and watch T.V. while he is falling asleep on the couch? If so he will probably throw a huge fit about it but really the longer you wait the harder it will be to break the habit.

My niece is 5 1/2 and still falls asleep every night on the couch with the T.V. on and a sippy cup of CHOCOLATE milk at random times everynight. She is so tired in school and cant pay attention properly because she is not sleeping properly. SIL is too afraid to upset her or have her disturb her younger sister by stopping it so she has let it continue for toooo long IMO.

 

7:30 is not too early. That was my boys bedtime almost until they were 5. I would just explain to him that he has been a real good boy waiting for his brothers to fall asleep. Now that they are older, all little boys can go to bed at the same time. He will probably fight you at first, but if you are firm, he should give in quickly. Good luck!

 

Rhea, I don't think 7:30 is too early if he will go to sleep then. I still occasionally send my 8 & 10 year olds to bed at 8:00 so 7:30 for a 3 year old is not unreasonable. I think you just have to decide what you would like for them to do & then stick with it for a week or so, they will probably adjust fairly quickly.

 

Hi there. What about choosing and specific bedtime and then getting him to sleep in your bed for a while to sort of "transition" him? Might be better than the sofa, at least. Then you can ease him into the idea of starting his night in his own bed.

 

I don't think 7.30 is too early for a three year old but I might try sending him to bed at 8 to start with because it will be less change to get used to. Also you could then build in a nice little routine with just him, for example put the little ones to bed at 7.30 then sit on the couch with him and have a snuggly story time or something. If it doesn't work and he is waking up the others when he gets to bed at 8 then you could start sending them all together.

 

QUOTE(Twin nanny @ Mar 4 2008, 03:45 PM) [snapback]652496[/snapback]
I don't think 7.30 is too early for a three year old but I might try sending him to bed at 8 to start with because it will be less change to get used to. Also you could then build in a nice little routine with just him, for example put the little ones to bed at 7.30 then sit on the couch with him and have a snuggly story time or something. If it doesn't work and he is waking up the others when he gets to bed at 8 then you could start sending them all together.

I agree with this. It may make him feel "special" and "older" if he gets to stay up an extra 30 minutes and get his own bedtime routine.