2 Year Old Still a Bad Sleeper

Do you know why he is waking up? Is he potty trained and has to go potty? Is it a bad dream? Does he speak well enough to tell you what is going on at all? I know most 2 year olds cannot, but if he is a good talker, it might help to figure out what has him waking up. If you are potty training him, ask him if he has to go on the potty- maybe that is the issue and he's trying to go there instead of in a diaper/ pull-up?

My son's story was JUST like yours- horrible sleeper and colic in the beginning. He would wake 4-6 times/ night- it was horrible and I was a wreck from lack of sleep. When he was about 8 months old, I started reading a lot of sleep books looking for ideas on how to get him to sleep better. We tried everything short of Crying It Out, but nothing worked. In the end, we did CIO, as a last resort. It worked, but now that he is potty trained (at night too), it has started up again, and I hate to just let him cry because he might have to go potty. So, we talked with him (my son is very verbal) and explained that he needed to stop crying at night, and that if he did, he'd get a surprise in the morning. Believe it or not, it's been working. If he's not feeling well (we all had the flu last week), he will wake up a few times, but if he's feeling ok, he's been sleeping (or at least putting himself back to sleep) through the night. Maybe you can try some kind of reward for good sleeping- but make sure it's worth it. My son will do just about anything for a Matchbox car, so we use that for lots of big things that he does. You might want to talk to him and tell him that you and Daddy are very tired and need to sleep, and that if he gets up in the night, you cannot come to him because you need to sleep. 2 year olds have the ability to understand a lot. I would try telling him what you are going to do, then do it and see what happens. At least you have talked to him about it, so it will not be a surprise. Tell him you need him to go back to sleep, and he needs to wait until Mr. Sun is up before you will come and get him.

I hope that is helpful in some way...

Good luck,
T.

I hate to promote books - selfhelp at that... but I had some success with the No Cry Sleep Solution. Although, my son was much younger, I do know that this book addresses older babies/toddlers too. I hope you both get some peace - I'm sure its frustrating for you both. good luck.

I have a two year old too my problem is he sleeps really late after 12am just watching cartoons but latley I've been turn off the tv early and jsut let him tey until he falls to sleep dont feel gulity beacuse he kows he getting away with it so he keeps doing it.

I'm curious what is going on in that process, from bedtime to sleep time.
My older son co-slept, I night weaned at 2 years and there were only 2 times that he slept a 5 hour stretch up to that point. And it took until he was 4.5y to sleep all night in his own bed in his own room. But he's a more sensitive kid and help with sleep is just something he needs. He also goes to sleep easiest if someone is with him. He does do fine with me walking out if the door is open and he can hear something going on, like me washing dishes, and if there's some light.
My younger son is the opposite, he wouldn't co-sleep and he wants to talk and interact if someone is in the room. He needs white noise or else it's a lot of "what's that noise?" (he's almost 2.5y now).
They share a room so there's no way to make it ideal for both of them, but the younger one goes to sleep most quickly if we sit quietly and ignore his blabbering. :-)
Another thing that happened with ds1 and is going on now with ds2 is transitioning away from naps. Being tired in the afternoon but not being tired enough at the usual bedtime, so it's either skip the nap they need and go to bed early (which i've been enjoying on occasion lately) or later bedtime.
My only specific suggestion would be to do things like "i'm gonna go get a drink of water, i'll be right back" and then come right back. and then do something else if he's still squirming in 10 more minutues, and/or be gone longer. it can help you to not feel so stuck, and you can start laundry earlier but still help him with sleep.

I didn't have to deal with the colic but I feel your pain. My kid was a terrible sleeper, then I finally got him to start sleeping through the night a little after a year using The No-Cry Sleep Solution book. Then just before he turned 2, we had some home life changes and he stopped again. He started freaking out about being put in his crib. So I tried getting him a bed. All that accomplished was that it was more comfortable for me to lay by him while he fell asleep, and that he could get up and come in my room in the middle of the night. I didn't feel like fighting that battle, so I let him. (dumb me.) Anyways, so just a couple weeks ago I was totally over it and I started doing this new thing with him because I was tired of laying in bed with him forever for naps and bedtime.

I started by doing our usual routine with the book and such, but instead of turning out the light and laying by him, I told him I was going to go in the other room, but I would set the timer on microwave for 5 minutes and I would come back to check on him and give him more kisses. I just told him he needed to stay tucked in and I'd be right back and to listen for the beep. I make sure I go back in AS SOON as it beeps and give him kisses, then I tell him the same thing over about coming back. I praise him for staying in bed and just keep reassuring him that I will be right back. I actually set the time for longer than 5 minutes if he seems fairly calm and sleepy when I go back the first time, so that after that I am usually setting it for 7 or 8 minutes. So far I haven't had to go back in after 3 beeps. He is always asleep by the third time. I will actually turn off the light and do "snuggle time" with him for a couple of minutes now. Then I start talking about going in the other room. I keep it short, but make sure I talk to him enough to reassure him. If he calls out for any reason that is real, I go back in before my 5 minutes is up- like tonight he yelled out that he had something in his eye. If he gets up (which he has only done a couple times, I just put him back in bed, tell him the little speech, kiss and restart the timer. I don't know how this started working after trying everything. Maybe he was finally just ready, but wow, am I glad I thought of this. He seems to sleep through the night in his own bed if he falls asleep on his own. It has worked every single time, with very little fuss. Hope that helps!