Those with 2 or more how does bedtime work for you?

Dcubed

OK I don't have the "normal" bedtime situation with my kids.  I stay in the room with both my kids till they fall alsleep.  If DH is not home yet my oldest will lay on the floor in DD's room while she is falling asleep.  Once she is down we move over to his room.  It's not ideal but it's what we do.  I was wondering if you have more than 1 and your kid is not the kind that will stay in their room what do you do?  I know there are plenty on here that lay their kids down and leave which is great but we aren't there )

gracendantho26

We alternate nights with the kids. So we each put read a story (or older DD will read to us) and put one kid to bed every night. Usually I get them in their jammies about an hour before bedtime..I like to signal that it's wind down time. Then they get a 10 min. warning and its off the bed after that's up. If DH is not home I let my older one stay up and then I read to my younger one, rub his back, give him a kiss and that's pretty much it. Then same thing with my older one.

shouldbworkin

When my DD was going through a phase where she didn't want to go to sleep, I put my DS to bed first.  He was easier to put to bed and needed to go to bed earlier.  Eventually, I figured out that DD needed her lamp on and door open to go to bed.  As long as she'd stay in bed, she got to have her lamp on and the door open.  It worked really well with no tears.  Now she tags along while I put DS to bed and then I tuck her in while DH is tucking DS in.  He comes in after me and tucks DD in.  Works like a charm for us. 

elm1032004

Both my kids go to bed at the same time.  They brush teeth right before bed.  If only one of us is home with the kids then DD goes to her room while DS is put to bed.  If we are both home I put DS to bed while DH puts DD to bed.  I then go into her room to say goodnight as well.  We do not wait for them to fall asleep before leaving their room.  Sometimes they want a book to look at while falling asleep and that is fine, or even a little toy.  Typically they are both out within 5 to 10 minutes. 

emiliemadison

We take turns putting the kids to bed. They both go to bed at the same time. We brush their teeth, then read a story in DD's room with both of them. Then DS says goodnight to his sister, I give DD hugs and kisses and tuck her into bed and turn off the light and close the door. Then I take DS into his room and do the same with him.

No offense, but do you WANT to be able to put your kids in bed and fall asleep without you sitting there? Because they're definitely capable. I'm just not sure if you're looking for advice on HOW to make it happen, or how to accommodate what they currently do?

If you want to make it happen, then it's going to be up to you. It will probably take a few nights, but if you are consistent and firm, they will definitely fall asleep in their own beds on their own. Think of all the time you'll have to do other things instead of sitting in their rooms waiting for them to sleep!

adri77

I'm always alone M-F with both kids, from the very beginning- so I have always been no-nonsense with bedtime, b/c I never have backup/help.  when DS2 was a baby, he was up later that DS1....so he would sit in the swing/bouncy during bedtime routine with DS1.  As he got older, he started going down earlier than DS1, so we did bathtime together, and then I'd put DS1 in my room with a DVD so I  could nurse DS2 and do his bedtime routine.  Half the time, DS1 wouldn't stay in my room, and kept coming in and was soooooo loud and made things pretty stressful trying to create a "calming bedtime routine" for the baby.......ha ha ha.

These days, we do dinner, bath or playing in the basement, pjs, teeth read them both books at the same time, I put DS2 in his crib, DS1 waits for me in his bed, then I tuck him in.  When DS1 had just moved into his big boy bed, we had issues with him staying in bed, but the little one was already down, so it didn't really effect him- they are in separate rooms.  I have found, like with everything else, this routine is ever changing, as they are growing maturing, becoming more independent/stubborn etc.  We will see what next month holds!