The kids I babysit for never go to sleep! What do I do?

Question

Do you have any tricks that I could use to get these two little girls to go to sleep? They usually either come downstairs and tell me they can't sleep and they miss their mommy, or they get SUPER hyper as soon as I tell them its bed time. When they get hyper the two girls fight with each other and start screaming and running around. I just want them to be calm!

I am a teenager, so its not like I'm old and can't handle all the noise, but I just want them to be asleep before their parents come home (they usually are, but it just takes a while for them to sleep, and its usually past their bedtime). And it gives me a headache when they get crazy. And I want to relax and watch TV for a little while and clean up any mess they might have made, you know, and they have to go to bed! They are usually pretty good... until I say it's bedtime.

Answer 1

You may have to start a little earlier with them.  With small kids, it's often helpful to use rewards as encouragement for good behavior.  For example, if their bedtime is at 7:30, then at 6:00 announce, "OK, we've got some time before bedtime -- if we can get our baths done before 7:00, I will have time to read you an extra story." (or whatever reward is appropriate.)

When they start screaming, calmly and QUIETLY say, "I'm sorry, but this behavior is not acceptable.  If you need to say something, use your indoor voice.  If you cannot remember to use your inside voice, then you are obviously way too tired, and you will have to go to bed 15 minutes earlier."   The trick is CALM and QUIET.  Make 'em have to stop to listen to you!  

Try not to allow them to watch TV after dinner -- with some kids, it just gets them wound up.  Try playing a quiet game to help the kids unwind a bit.  Offer to put on "make up" before their bath (so it washes right off!)

If they are getting out of their bed, they have learned that there are no consequences for getting out of bed.  You might have to enlist the parents help on this.  Discuss it with them, in front of the kids, when you are getting your instructions for the evening, and simply say, "Jane and Sarah keep popping out of bed after I have put them to bed.  Are there any consequences you can recommend for discouraging this?"  See how it goes. The parents may make it clear to the girls they have to stay in bed.  They might even suggest that an outing, etc., will be cancelled if they get out of bed.  But the kids need to know that there are consequences for their actions.