Sleep Advice. - San Antonio,TX

This may or may not work for you.

When my oldest was 8 and his younger brother was 3, they would sleep peaceably with each other if the younger could feel his older brother beside him (just a touch once in a while). I don't know if you have room to line up the two beds beside each other. I wonder if that would help.

Does the 3-yr-old nap during the day? When I cut back on the naps, I could get my young one to sleep easier at night.

One other thing, lately, I would bring my laptop to my two younger boys (now 7-yr-old and 10-yr-old) and sit there in the (almost) dark and work. There would be a couple of times (okay, 3 or 4 times) that I would simply say "It's time for being quiet, hush now" or "lay back down, it's time for being still." Seems like they both fell asleep faster.

You will probably get some other, and probably better, advice soon.

Good luck! I admire any single mom who manages to get through this type of phase. Remember: "this too shall pass"

i would stay near the door where he could not see you but you could hear him. every time he got out of bed put him back. first few times tell him its bed time stay in bed go to sleep. then i would not say anything at all. this might take a while the first night. but the times should get shorter byt the third night he should get the hint. we did not dare to get out of bed as kids. firm voice, and punishment would sure follow if we were acting up!

Have you tried getting him to bed an hour earlier than his brother. Maybe if you lay him down, read him a book that could work. Maybe even try the opposite by putting your older son to bed and then letting the younger one tire out and get bored when he sees that he can't play with his brother because he is asleep. Just a thought. Good luck!

My son is 3 1/2 and I did just as Jackie wrote with my son when he was 2 1/2. Works for time out as well.. The key is not to say anything. He will probably get mad and say rude things (trying to get attention-because at this stage any attention even negative is attention) but just keep at it. I also started calling bedtime quiet time...before we knew it bedtime routine was a breeze. We have our day with starting over but they have really been few and far between. Good luck.

Donna's advice to stay visible but not interacting sounds like it should work. A penlight flashlight which can be used only in bed, may also help. I like reminding kids that I will see you in the morning, when the sun gets up, we get up.
Some kids are sure that you are going to leave in the middle of the night so reassurance that you are going to bed right now too may be needed. If the above doesn't solve the problem, go to stickers for staying in bed. If older boy gets them younger will want them. It goes without saying that there shouldn't be left over stressors from the day- like "mom is mad at me because.......".
They will be out at the prom any day now, remind yourself of that.

I have heard the advice before to try a tent for the bed. They are cute and seem fun. But, I never tried it. I just enforce the rule that they are to remain quiet and laying down, though they don't have to sleep, or they suffer the consequences. It works.