I feed mine by 5.30 - they can't wait any longer and get horribly raggy otherwise. That gives us 90 mins to get the rest of it sorted and in bed by 7, 7.30.......and hopefully asleep shortly after.

I WAY get what you mean Bath, those are the hardest parts of the days. It was the thing I wasn't looking forward to the most after I moved because I don't get any respite at bedtime anymore. I bit the bullet in preparation and now I have it running so smoothly that someone coming home in the middle of it stuffs things up. I don't even answer the phone until the kids are asleep.

I have alot of problems getting Beth down, so the way I see it - even if she is going to jack in the box for a while, the earlier I get them to bed the earlier she will eventually stop popping up at a reasonable hour. (work in progress )