How do can I calm a five year old...?

Question

How can I calm a five year old boy down for bed at night?

We have always had a routine. At 7:30 we start settling down for bed. At 8:15 he takes a bath (after my son 7months) and then he seems relatively calm but then we we read a book he gets excited again. I don't want to cut out the book because I think reading is a great habit to have but I don't know what else to do. The boys share a room and sometimes he keeps the other one awake by just being fidgety. He doesn't get out of bed or anything...he just isn't getting enough sleep and has to wake up at 6:45. I just don't know what to do?

**Separating the rooms isn't an option. We live in a two bedroom home and our youngest will not sleep with us**

I will not put a TV in their room. Thank you very much for the advice though!

We play all day long. He goes to pre-K and then we walk to and from school which is an hour for him (two for me). He doesn't drink caffiene at all! So it's not a matter of him not being tired!

He is still in pre-K and gets about two hours of rest durning the day. One at school and then another at home.

Answer 1

This better get me best answer girl!

Suggestion #1: Tell him that if he doesn't settle down, then you will no longer read to him before bed. Doesn't mean that you will go through with it, but take it one night at a time. If he doesn't settle down one night, cut the story short and tell him that if he settles down the next night you will continue with the story.

Suggestion #2: Look into one of those projector type things that projects things on the ceiling. I know my daughter is younger, but those things facinate her. Might just cause him to get sleepy and drift off.

Suggestion #3: Turn the lights off no matter what choice you make. Darkness usually helps with the transition to bedtime.

Don't get him started on the TV thing like one other mom said. I made that mistake and haven't figured out how to stop it.

Answer 2

I would get him in the bathtub around 7. My 7 year old is usually, in bed by 8. Then help him find quiet things to do before he goes to sleep. Like color or read a book. You could rub his back while you do this. This seems to calm my children down. Maybe a little sugar free snack and a glass of milk....It's really hard to put them both in together in a room awake at the same time. I have tried this with my both my boys. Maybe since the baby takes a nap... I would lay the older boy down like at by 7:30. Kids need a good 10 - 11 hours of sleep at night. I here you about the NO T.V in the bedroom though! I agree! Good Luck!

Answer 3

A few things to try:
Warm milk is good
Reading a story is a great idea, just give time to discuss the child's favorite part and event in the story. Plan a time for the following day or weekend to act it out/ build the scene. This is exciting for a child. Advise them to go to sleep so tomorrow can hurry up and get there. My daughter loves this.
If you don't get into the first then try reading stories that revolve around closing your eyes and drifting off to sleep. Read them slowly to drag out the effect. Also reading a book more than once helps. If a child has already heard the story, he won't be so afraid of missing out on something ...thus fighting sleep.
Give him the book to look at after you are done reading it (if he is still awake). Allow him some quiet time alone to look through it quietly. This does wonders at my house as well.
Start his bedtime a little earlier until he gets it down, then you can push it back.
Hope this helps you. Good Luck and Good Night

Answer 4

Try starting a little sooner like at 7:00pm or 7:15pm. If you can't then that's ok too. Try reading with him before his bath. If you don't want to change anything at all and want to keep the same routine then try to do something after reading. Like tell him to pick up the toys or put book up, chose the next night's book, kiss everyone good night (that way he's walking around), help tuck his brother in, cut the lights off together, cut all the tvs off in the house (his little job), if you're religious pray, tuck him in, and by that time he should be good and ready to go to bed. That would take about 10min if even that long. So in that case do try and start earlier, but if not try to do some of those things if not all.

Answer 5

This is a pretty late time for a 5 year old especially if he gets up that early. Maybe he has reached the point of over tiredness by 8pm and hypes up. Mine are 7 and they go to bed at 7pm then read till 7.30 then lights out. At the age of 5 their bedtime was 6.30 and they slept till 7am. Why not try a story at 7pm then 7.15 off for a bath then in bed for 7.30. He is more relaxed after a bath so read a story first. Have teeth and everything done before the bath. And a relaxation tape/CD might help too.

Answer 6

maybe read the book before bath time - then off to bed and give the baby a bath after big brother so that way your 5 year old is all settled down by the time baby is ready for bed.
Maybe move bed time up to the 5 year old being in bed by 8 --- 6:45 is early ,so if he's in bed by 8 and asleep by 8:30 that should be enough sleep if not move it up by 15 or 30 mins

Answer 7

How about a reward system? Use a sticker chart and when he wakes up in the morning give him a sticker for being a good boy at bedtime. After X amount of stickers he gets a reward (favorite video, sweets, or a toy that has been hidden away). Once he gets the hang of it go for a different behavior. This is what worked for my nephew to keep him out of his parents' bed when he was 4.
Good for you keeping the TV out of the childrens' room. I never had one in my room until I got married (and that was hubby's habit, not mine). There is no need for a TV in a child's bedroom until they are adults.
On that subject, when does he watch TV? I've been told that it helps if they do not watch any for 2 hours before bedtime.

Answer 8

move his preparation time up a 1/2 an hour so that it gives him more time to settle...do the book reading in the living room as not to disturb the baby...think about cutting out any sugar or red food dyes which can cause some hyper activity...if this is a generally new behavior it could just be a stage like so many other things that children do-try a hot cup of herbal tea(chamomile)

Answer 9

Books can be very exciting to a child and may seriously stimulate the imagination...therefore, this may be a better activity for earlier in the day. The bath before bedtime is a great idea. Try adding some lavender scented baby bath (Johnson & Johnson makes this, and I trust their products). It not only makes bubbles, is hypoallergenic, and is tear-free, but lavender has a calming effect.

Answer 10

What works for my kids, is at 7:00pm they get a bath and then they are nice and relaxed they watch a couple of cartoons together in a comfy blanket and then its there bed time. I find that reading them a book in the morning to wake them up is better for them than at night. Mabey try that. Oh I also make them Hot milk well warm milk to calm them too. They seem to sleep well. Hopefully that will help you.

PS- After there baths I usually massage them with lavander lotion and it almost puts them to sleep! They get so relaxed!