Bedtime bad behaviour

Clearly trying too early!

Goodness me that is early....far to early. They will not be tired that early so bound to be problems. Children need to use up their energy during the day as well. Are they allowed to do that?

If you have Sky, their on demand service is showing four series of the Three Day Nanny (Kathryn Mewes). Very helpful and insightful on this problem among others.

Gosh that is an early bedtime, as others have pointed out (sorry to repeat what's already been mentioned).
My twin grandchildren have just turned 5 and their bedtime is around 7.30pm, especially now its school holidays. A good meal at teatime which is most welcome after a day of activities, CBeebies (or similar) and then bath (not every night), story then bed. It works well.
Good Luck

Break the routine and don’t tell the children. I like the idea of hiding the clocks too. Don’t tell the parents you altered their routine time. If you tell their parents, this may be the last sleepover.
Good luck.

That is very early to be going to bed if they went later they would feel more tired and more ready for bed. We have 7 GC aged from 5 to 12 the earliest the younger ones go to bed is 7 pm. If they go to bed too early they wake up very early.

In that case I'd make up my own bedtime routine when they were at my house. An active day, later bedtime, bedtime story and leave some jigsaws and books or other toys that can be played with quietly on their own in the bedroom. If they come out of the room after that jyst lead them back in, reiterate your bedroom rules, don't engage in conversation with them, and leave them. You may have to do that a few times, but at that age they should realise you mean business and you can be quite strict. Children can adapt to different rules and routines in different houses.
Do they behave at school and do as thir teachers ask them I wonder?

Our GC go to bed at 7 and GS (2) is usually very troublesome. He doesn't sleep well either,sometimes waking many times a night. He seems to need a snooze at lunchtime and it makes no difference in the evenings whether he has a nap or not. I'm hoping that he gets better over time, and personally would put him to bed later, but DD is someone who has very set ideas of what she wants.

I should add that they live a very active life, walking quite a distance to school and getting out and about at weekends and whilst on school holidays.

Again I'm agreeing with others. That's just too early. My 4 year old grandson would be playing outside until after 7pm.

No wonder they are playing up getting ready for bed at tea time they are probably not tired enough to wind down, I know we all have different ways with children but it is rather early
My three year old grandson starts getting ready for at 6.30 it’s bath story bed

I agree, that's far to early at that age to send them to bed.

Whilst I understand they are your grandchildren and that parents choose and set bedtimes, I’d say their current bedtimes are very early and that even 6pm is early for 5 & 7 year olds especially during the holidays ! I’d say they’re simply not tired physically or mentally ! I’d be inclined to keep their meal times at this time, Bath around 6pm and then sit them down in PJs o watch a suitable film or tv programme with a small snack and drink then clean teeth, short story and into bed for 7:30pm-ish

I wonder what happens on holiday. Do the poor little mites get packed off to bed at this time.

Is a bit early for bedtime I would have thought 7. To 7.30 would be an ideal time for children that age. Probably why they won’t settle there not really tired.

My grandson who is very lively during the day starts his bedtime routine, bath book etc at 7 pm. He is 4.1/2. Why do your GC go to bed so early! Its no wonder they play up. I would just put tem to bed much later if you are looking after them.

No wonder they don't want to sleep. 5pm is still afternoon, not even evening. Sorry you have to follow an unrealistic bedtime routine.

Put your clock forward 2 hours, feed them at 6 and bath at seven, bed by 7.30.

Dinner at 4 pm?? Bed at 5? Wow that's early. Is there a reason for this? Are mum and dad able to get them settled so early? Wondering what time they get up.

GrandmaKT

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

They would if you stuck to your word.

Sorry, I missed that you said the parents have problems with this too. I wonder why they send them to bed so early then spend so long trying to get them to sleep?

As others as said far too early, tire them out with walk or play. Have meal around 5pm to 5.30 afterwards get pyjamas on (bath optional) settle calmly in a darkened room to watch CBeebies until it goes off around 7pm. Banana (helps sleep) small cup of milk, teeth cleaned/toilet then in bed with a quiet/calm story.

I think that trying to get children this age to sleep in the late afternoon is unworkable. Maybe you could adjust this to bath/showers at 7/7.30 pm then perhaps a suitable film instead of a story and they will go to bed tired. If they play up then so long as they are not doing anything to hurt themselves or each other let them run off this final bout of steam. Close the door, make a cup of tea/pour a wine and ignore them. This is attention seeking that works with their parents. It is just a bit like training a puppy.

All the time the children are laughing in your face, the lack of discipline is being reinforced and they have each other to provide a wall of resistance. Change it by dealing with one child at a time.

What time in the morning are they getting up?

Your house, your rules. This is far too early for dinner and bed! Stretch out dinner time followed by a bit of playing out, or tv, then it’s Bath, stories, bed.
I have no understanding of dinner at 4pm.
I would stretch out dinner as late as possible. ?‍♀️?