I need help with 4.5 year old and 10 month old bedtime routine

[Christi]

So tonignt I spent almost two hours putting my 4 1/2 son to bed. I'm so frustrated. My Dh had to go to a meeting. SO I was home alone with both kids. My son won't go to sleep with out us. Most nights he will fall asleep in about 15-20 min. So it isn't a problem but it's when he takes forever to fall asleep that I go crazy!! He usually doesn't talk he just tosses and turns. How do I teach him to fall asleep without us. I get no time to myself when he does this. My dh is gone at least one night if not two. So juggling two kids is not easy. My dd is 10 months old. She won't go to sleep withoout nursing. Do you have any ideas how to get her on a sleep schedule? I never put ds on a schedelue this young. I'm just going insane. I need an evening with no children. TIA

[heathmama2]

I'm afraid I have no advice, but boy do I feel you! I have a 3yo and a 7 month old and most of the time the 3yo goes to sleep relatively easily, but we go through phases when it is a TERRIBLE 1-2 hour ordeal. During those times I wonder why on earth I was ever crazy enough to cosleep and think I should have let her cio back when she wasn't big enough to just climb out of bed and refuse to go get back in! Then it inexplicably gets better again and I am back to thinking cosleeping was the right choice. I guess my only advice is to remember that this will pass and it will get easier again. Also, during the last bad phase I bought an itty bitty book light and now, if it starts to take a long time I just lay there and read my book. That way I feel less resentful about not having my own time because I am doing something I enjoy.

Good Luck!