At age 6 my kids bedtime was 8:00pm. Now it's just 1/2 hour later at 8:30. My gang has a hard time getting up at 6:30...but there is not enough time to get homework, dinner, showers etc. done by 7:00pm.

The older my boys get the more rambunctious they get. I won't allow talking back and disrespect. I have put soap in mouths on more than one occasion. I think with boys or any kids really when they get rowdy like that you really need to buckle down and let them know who is boss and what and what not will be tolerated. I can be strict...but I refuse to let my kids be brats. Do they try...yes....but do they get far...no!

I can't even imagine what it's like having 5 boys....sleeping in the same room no less. My boys share a room and we haven't really had a problem with them going to bed until recently. They will talk and goof around. Their bedroom is right off the living room. So when I hear them going I am quick to go in and stop it. When they won't settle down I turn off night lights and threaten to shut the door. This usually does the trick for them. I have also threatened to separate them and make one sleep in the playroom. I have one who is afraid of the dark and sleeping alone. So that ALWAYS works! Sounds mean but shoot I need my down time and they need to know it's bedtime and not playtime.

Maybe you could try putting 2 to bed at 7:00...then 2 more to bed at 7:30 and the 5th boy gets an 8:00 bedtime. You could rotate who goes first depending on how good they behaved during the day. Make a reward chart so you can keep track. I have said I was going to put one of my boys to bed 15 minutes earlier just so they can't talk and get rowdy. So far I haven't had to do it. But I think it would work. My DD who has her own room is always asleep in 5 minutes or less.

I often use the line "Raising kids is like being pecked to death by ducks!" LOL Hang in there momma!

HTH!

Terri~
12/21/01 at 33 weeks