5yo DS and bedtime-opening door, playing

[Abarat]

Not sure about anyone else's kids but sleep has always been an issue with DS.  He's never been one just to go to bed and go to sleep.

But lately he's gotten worse.  He continues to keep opening his door, sitting in the hall and playing way past his bedtime (yes, in a dark room).

Occasionally we have special outings to use as leverage to get him to cooperate but even that doesn't always work.

We'll be getting foster kids in the near future and don't want this to continue to be an issue with him.  He'd love to share his room but I feel he'd be keeping another kid up.

Anyone else have this problem and found a good solution?

[LynnS6]

My solution was to get my kids a light for their beds and then let them read or do quiet things in their bed (read, draw) until they feel like falling asleep. Dd also has a small radio/CD player that she can listen to as long as she stays in bed. Now some days she does stay up later than is wise. Once it hits 9:30 or so, I'll remind her to turn out the light with increasing firmness. Ds has always been really good at judging his own tiredness and just turns off the light on his own when he's done reading.

[Abarat]

The CD player may be an idea, I'll have to think on it.

DS has always had at least a night light, and once he was old enough his own flashlight for his room when he goes to bed.  He's always been one that hates to miss anything...I truly think that's the problem.  He's never been good at just going to sleep when he's tired, he fights it tooth and nail.