I have the 2 boys on my own when DH is on night shift. DS2 goes to bed at 7pm with a bottle and generally will go to sleep with just that, but sometimes I will sit on the floor next to him in the dark and sing softly to him.
While this is going on DS1 is watching a tv show in the lounge. He goes to bed between 7.30 and 8pm. I will sometimes read to him in the lounge room before I take him into their room. He has a small (I mean tiny) glass of milk. Then it's prayers and I leave. He generally is fine and goes to sleep but again on rare occasions he asks me to sing to him so I'll sing softly to him too.
Mine often double team me and will not be left on their own to fall asleep.
So method when DH is not here is to plonk them both in the same bed - usually mine and then jump in too. I will then jump out and relocate DD2 as she can be moved. DD1 is too big and will wake. Really we have decided the path of least resistance as the more upset prior to bed the worse the night seems to be.
Good luck!
I'd put them in the same room (if they're not already). That way you are right there with them both - its what I used to do with DDs 1 and 2. I would stay in their room for however long it took - and at the beginning it was looooooooooong. Otherwise, if I had to go between one and the other there was just no chance. Now I have to get DDs 1 and 2 to bed, and then tackle DD3 - usually involving the occasional walk back into 1 and 2's bedroom to tell them to be quiet and get back into bed while #3 is feeding.
They have beds in the same room. DS starts the night in there, and we are working on him staying there, but he often comes in to our room. DD generally stays there once she is asleep, but comes in to our room some nights.
I haven't had any success in DS falling asleep in his bed. I generally feed to sleep, or if DH is home he sometimes walks the floors.
When DS was easier to get to sleep, at least initially, I would feed him, put him to bed (in our room), and then I could feed DD (loungeroom) or read books etc in her room and then for awhile, we could leave her to fall asleep.
It just seems to have all fallen apart again. If I try to work on DD, then DS runs feral. And they can both outlast me, babysitters etc don't believe it until they watch them and we get home and they are still running riot.
They are dinnered, bathed, in pjs etc usually by 7 / 7.30, its just the next bit that stretches on forever.
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