behavior/room sharing advice please

wildfloweragain

So we are putting on an addition and it involves gutting DD's room.  She's 6.  We just moved her into 4 yr old DS's room for the next 2 months. 

They keep fooling around, getting out of bed, hurting each other, tattling on each other, etc. 

Last night we tried to be understanding since it was the first night and there's bound to be some adjustment and fun but had to get firmer and firmer as the night went on.  I ended up taking their tag readers away and sitting outside their door.

 

They did a good job at nap/quiet time today.

 

Tonight - same thing.  Last night DD was the big instigator, tonight it is DS.  He keeps turning the light on and hit her for turning it off.

I know he's having issues sharing his room.  Our house is tiny and we don't have much of a choice.  The baby is in our room and you have to go through our room/baby's room to get to this room DD and DS are currently in.  DS is not in a reasonable mood.  He currently states that he will continue to hit her and he wants me to be unhappy.

Suggestions?

mamarazzi

We used bribery/rewards.  We told DS1 if he stayed in his bed and didn't mess around that he'd earn a treat/privilege in the morning.  It worked (and works) really well for us.

Maybe you could do a sticker chart for each?  And after so many nights of good behavior at bedtime, they could earn something they've been wanting?

Ciarrai

Rewards and a sticker chart work well.  As do threats.  Can you adjust their bedtimes so they're not going to bed at the same time?  Honestly, the best thing for us was just time.  It took about a week for the girls to adjust to sharing a room when they moved in together (when DD#2 was 4 months old) and then it took a week again when they moved into their "big girl room" (where DD#2 was no longer in a crib) about a year ago.  Give it a few more days and give them some time to work it out between them.  A lot of what we did with the girls, especially when they moved to the "big girl room" and were both free to roam the room was kinda let them have it out.  Obviously, no one got seriously injured, but we had to give them some time to figure it out between them without us.  Give it a week, maybe two, and they'll be settled in.

*Amy*

I would try different bedtimes.  We do the same bedtime now, but for the first few months had to do different bedtimes or they would do the same.  A sticker chart like pp mentioned as well would be a great idea as well!