What happens when you get to the end of the bedtime routine and the kids refuse to actually go...

[2lilsweetfoxes]

I'll go through the bedtime routine and by the end of it, the kids are still up and about and refuse to go to bed. I spend two more hours upset and "fighting" them into bed until I fall down exhausted. It is mostly the two younger: 7 months and autistic 6 year old. As soon as I think I've got one down, and direct my attention to the other, the first will bounce right back up. They play that game all evening. I'd like to have some adult time, when I can push back my mommy-hat.

[LadyCatherine185]

Do you have a DP that can take over bedtime with the older children so you can concentrate on the baby? Or hold the baby while you do bedtime with the older children and then you can concentrate on baby (depending on if baby needs to go to bed before/after other kids)? What time is their usual "bedtime"? Do they take naps during the day?

As for the 7 month old, I think he is too young to have a set bedtime, and you should go with the flow. Babies bedtimes vary a lot from day to day. My DS didn't get a predictable routine/schedule to his day until he was around 9 months old.

What is your bedtime routine? How are your days organized usually?

[Drummer's Wife]

Since it takes more than 2 hours to get them to fall asleep, have you tried pushing bedtime back an hr or two? Or do they still fight it and drag it out a long time, at that point?