Bedtime bad behaviour

Those times do seem rather early for a 5 and 7 year old. Our 5 year old grandson has his bath at 7 when he is with us, ready for bed at 7.30 with bedtime story and he drops off pretty quickly. Our 9 year old GD is about at hour later, and usually has a book to take to bed to read herself and, again, she is usually asleep when we look in on her about 20 minutes later. Perhaps they are just not ready for sleep at that early time...........

Maybe tell the children they won’t stay again unless they behave!

That would be water off a duck's back SueDonim, they just wouldn't believe it!

Wow that’s early! My GCs are 2and 4 and they go to bed at 7. TV from 5.30 to 6.30. (CBeebies is lovely at that time) Bath at 6.30, story and bed. We don’t have many problems. That doesn’t help you of course. I have no solutions unfortunately but I do sympathise. Hope you get it sorted.

Sounds like they're running you tagged.. A walk before bedtime, then bath sounds in order and a later bedtime while they are staying with you perhaps. Don't negotiate. It's hard when you've got them all day then have to deal with bedtime antics!

'Ragged'

The parents seem to have left you with a bit of a problem by putting children of this age to bed late afternoon no wonder they play up
My grandaughter is 3 and has a 7 o'clock bed time
I would put them to bed at 7.30 with a short story non negotiable that they then settle for sleep

Goodness me! No wonder they’re playing up. That’s way too early! Also, do they have to be in separate rooms?

Sorry, thought they were at yours hence my bedroom comment.

Oh dear, GrandmaKT! It is a very early time, especially at this time of year when it’s still so light in the evenings.

I’d definitely tell their parents that unless they have a better bedtime routine you can’t take them overnight.

I’d suggest as someone else has, an evening walk after tea. A bath every evening at those ages really isn’t necessary and can often make them more awake than winding them down. Then each of you in a different bedroom to do bedtime story and sit whilst they fall asleep. It shouldn’t take so long with a more reasonable bedtime.

That's really early to bed. They should probably go to bed around 8,so get ready at 7.

If the parents insist they go to bed that early, just make sure the kids have entertainment (books or teddies) so they can stay in their room and fall asleep on their own.

When mine sleep over, one goes to bed quite easily, the other doesn't. I think it is more their nature, but they need to understand when it is time to go to bed, they need to stay in their rooms. My little G-daughter will talk and sing to her dollies for over an hour before she settles. She is 5 now. Her older brother 7 will sleep almost right away after he lays down.

I’ve got my 7 and 6 yr old GC staying with me for a few days. Their normal bedtime at home on a school night is 7pm. I stretch that to 7.45-8pm at mine while no school.

I think you’d find it easier to settle them with a later bedtime. Do they sleep through the night when they eventually settle? It seems a long stretch from 4pm dinner till morning. I think hunger would waken my GC very early if they hadn’t eaten since 4.

I agree with SueDonim and others, that is far too early for bedtime. I think you need to negotiate with the parents about setting up a more realistic night time routine. They should be taking the lead in this.

It's very early 3yo and 4yo DGC go to bed between 7 and 7.30. Sometimes bath/shower, game, story. 7yo goes at 8.30 same routine though he sometimes reads his own book after story. Lights out 9 though back to school this week so will be earlier. They are all up between 6 and 7 (4yo sometimes 5!) The brother and sister also run around for us but not parents until DH puts on stern voice. It's still exhausting! When they go home we breathe a sigh of relief - though we do love having them.

My grandsons couldn't possibly start getting ready for bed at 5pm. Their parents wouldn't even have been home from work by then

I gave up sweating the small stuff ( bed times while at mine) after the first few overnight stays.
At that age it would probably be about 9 / 9.30.
Now they go to bed ( when with us) when we do. They are 15 &12.

It's extremely early for a 5 and 7 year old to go to bed - are they awake at the crack of dawn?
Dinner at 4pm seems extremely early too. What happens if you want to go out somewhere?

They're running around, playing up because they're not tired.

I'm not surprised their parents have a problem getting them to sleep but if you're only looking after them for a couple of nights then I suppose you'll have to stick to the same routine.
Can they tell the time yet? Or you could hide the clocks! Put them to bed at 7.30 or 8pm, it's school holidays!

I'm a believer in the older child having an extra half hour or so as well - the younger one should have gone to sleep and the older one will know to go to bed quietly.

However, everyone has their own rules but it seems that having to patrol the landing and bedtime taking up to 2 hours sounds more like a trial than a pleasant experience.

GrandmaKT
Agree does seem early .
Children unlikely to settle if not tired .

Our grandson's 6 and 8 yrs are staying over tonight until tomorrow evening.

We have our own bed time routine that is completely different from the boy's home bedtime routine.

Tea about 5pm .
Tablet for half an hour although 6yr old usually plays lego or sits with grandad on laptop looking at the photos from previous outings.

This evening they went outside for a mad half hour in the garden.

Blinds closed upstairs and downstairs.
Shower at about 7ish

Downstairs for popcorn and milk.
We always watch a starwars film (usually only manage first hour )

Wee, teeth brushed and bed.
Both in same bed, whilst we do same made up story with a few tweaks here and there .

Then 6 year old goes into bed in other room.

11.30am take boys for another wee (they are still asleep)

Boy's asleep by 9pm.
8pm on school night.

Sorry bit long winded, but just to say maybe you need a routine that is not the same as home.
It may take a sleepovers, but eventually your routine will be come the norm.

Good luck

It does seem early for those ages

Their routine has also changed so it could be extra hard to execute their normal going to sleep steps.

I’m afraid I was an awful aunt when I had my niece and nephew for sleepovers! Bed time was very late, after playing board games we got out blankets, spread them on the floor and watched a film that the children chose, eating popcorn or other treats. Bedtime was very late and they were allowed to stay in bed as long as they wanted in the morning playing on iPads so that I did not have to get up!

I have to say they loved coming to stay with me in the school holidays!

I think GrandmaKT is staying over at their house but is in charge because the parents are away.

There could a reason why they go to bed at that time: have to get up early next day, it takes them a long time to go to sleep, etc.

Sleep time is notoriously difficult.

In fact, a parent wrote a book "go the f&&k to sleep" and it was a hit with parents.

No, they are at our house and the parents are having a short break away. Unfortunately they all live 250 miles away, so the good advice about establishing a routine for when they stay with us isn't really applicable as visits aren't that frequent.