Bedtime nightmare!

superjew

Wed, Sep 10 2014, 7:59 pm

I'm at my wits end. My kids for the most part like bedtime. They prepare for & go into bed nicely, stay in bed nicely etc so thank god! But here's the issue:
I have a 5 yr old boy & 2 yr old girl they share a room and a Bunkbed. Dd sleeps on bottom. Anyway since they started sleeping in one room (a yr) I made the rule of bedtime being quiet time. Even if they can't sleep they need to be quiet. This is mostly for my ds as dd talks to herself and plays w her doll until she falls asleep. It's normal behavior & I'm ok w that. I'm even ok if my ds whispers to himself which he does s/t. But the issue becomes when they talk to EACHOTHER! It becomes a play zone. Not sleeping mode at all and I don't allow it. So at the beginning I'd say I would close the door if that happened. It worked. Then for the most part they would behave. For some reason recently (nothing changed otherwise) they've gone haywire w sleeping time. They talk to each other. Throw things. Laugh - jump. I tried the closing door thing. They don't care. Just continue on. I tried a method of saying I wouldn't read to them story time next day. Ds cried about that a few min. And then continued on. I raised my voice. Worked for two min and then they continued on. Like legit. Forgetful or what?!? Idk I'm going crazy. It's like I didn't say anything. And if it works it doesn't last! Help! I was suggested a sticker system for good behavior but knowing my son he'll lose interest after two days. Or he'll talk and then I'll say no sticker he'll cry two min and then continue. I honestly don't know what to do. It drives me insane! Please help!

superjew

Wed, Sep 10 2014, 8:37 pm

I can't do that bec they dd gets tired by 7 and she takes like an hr to fall asleep ds wouldn't manage to stay up an extra hr. He falls asleep sooner. But if I keep dd up until he does she'd cry and be unhappy crying for her bottle /bed.
I don't have another room besides mine and don't want one of them getting used to sleeping in my bed.