2 Year Old Wakes up in the Morning Crying

My 2 1/2 year old usually wakes up cranky (naps or morning). There are usually 3 reasons for this: 1) He is VERY hungry & thirsty; 2) He's still tired; 3) he has to go potty (he's been potty trained for a few months). Also, my husband works late and sometimes does not see him at night so he whines to see daddy. Once all these basic needs are met he can still sometimes whine (in that kind of mood) and I usually have to force him out of it in that one & only case (threaten timeout if he doesn't stop [& I say threaten as it always works]).

I can totally relate. Been there, still there, doing that.
One thing that helps is if I pull my 2 yr old out of the crib, and then take him right to the rocking chair and just hold him and rock for a while, before entering the day. Sometimes this works, sometimes it doesn't. I try to be peaceful and unrushed for this small time. Good luck, really.

I have no advice, but I can sympathize....my daughter is also 2 and wakes up from the night and naps so very cranky. It's 7am right now and she has been whining and crying since she got up 45 minutes ago. Nothing you do can make her happy. I get her milk and whatever else she wants and still she is just super cranky! Some kids must just be that way. But it does get your day off to a bad start. I work some mornings and am not here when she wakes up so I don't have to deal with it everyday. My son, on the other hand wakes up very pleasant every day. I will be reading your responses for some advice as well. Good Luck!!!

Think about how she feels in the morning, sounds like she is waking up lonely/scared/needing mommy. Try being there for her as she is waking up, and immediately giving her the breast. I'm sure she is cranky because she needs that comfort early in the morning. Try just being there for her, nothing can replace cuddle time with mommy. Good Luck!

Well I don't think you need to wean her to stop it. Seems like that might make it worse. It may be a phase. My DD always used to wake up happy but she wakes this way from naps now quite often. I am really not sure why. If I am not next to her when she wakes in the am (we cosleep) she does this too and I totally understand it setting you off on a cranky path. She stops in the am once she sees me. As for naps, I have started talking to her very soothingly to distract her with questions. If I nurse her (a totally reasonable soothing method, she is capable of "self-soothing" too, btw) when she gets up cranky/crying from a nap, it makes her go back to sleep so I have stopped doing that. I just don't want to prolong the nap/nurse thing. So I talk to her about being cranky, is she still sleepy, does she want some water, etc, until she is calm and reasonable. It seems to be getting better. I think it's a process tho.

Sorry that wasn't very concrete, but I get where you are coming from. I have found in the ams that if I let myself get upset about it, that's not helpful. So I try to be calm and understand that she just needs a little transition time. I also have a bottle of water there for her and a book or 2 so that helps.

Hi J. - I had the same experience with my son. Until he was about 3 - maybe sooner - he would wake up crying every morning - that was my alarm clock. Like you, it would bum me out because I felt it set the tone for the rest of the day. I would go into his room and just cheerfully start the day - not really acknowledging the crying because I believe it was just his way of adjusting to a new day, and he was fine once we got busy with dressing and breakfast. It stopped happening sometime between 3 and 4. Perhaps your daughter is thirsty/hungry - maybe a sippy cup of water in her bed could help. Otherwise, I'm sure she will just grow out of it in time - not much comfort now, but try to keep it from affecting your moods. She may yet become a morning person!!
Good luck.

Does she have a favorite blanket or stuffed animal she can sleep with and look for first thing in the morning? My LO screams (happily) blanky every morning and LOVES the thing. I don't know if she could sleep without it and it makes her happy, and it is simple.... Good luck!

Try leaving her a sippy cup of water in her bed, so if she is thirsty (which we all are upon waking) she can have a little drink before you go get her. Or maybe a little cup of dry cheerios, since she may be waking up crabby cause she is hungry. Another thing I do, is put different books/toys in my sons crib to play with every night for him to find in the morning. This gives me almost a half hour before he wants me to get him. That way I can get my coffee, get his breakfast together, etc...and feel less rushed. My 2 year old who often wakes up from his afternoon nap very crabby, which I dread, so don't worry this too shall pass! Good luck!

I may be wrong but at this stage in your daughter's life she should have some self soothing skills. It must be difficult for her if nursing is what seems to be soothing her. Other than weaning her off the nursing I think you will have a hard time finding something. Good luck!

Our 2 year old daughter often does the same thing from naps and in the morning. i know what you mean about it making your stress level go up! you just want everyone to at least wake up peacefully (LOL).

One thing we did was to talk to her about it. My feeling was maybe she thought that was her only way of getting our attention- like we wouldn't come get her out of bed otherwise- so we started going in there in the morning and cheerfully saying "goodmorning" and then saying "honey, you don't have to cry- the morning is happy, you can just nicely say 'mommy, daddy' awake, and we'll come get you". And, then I'd have her practice saying it before I pulled her out of her crib. Sure enough, she now wakes up many mornings and says "mommy" then "daddy" and then "awake"- it's so cute and it cracks us up!! She doesn't always do it, but it's an improvement on the days that she does!

Does she sleep with you? Our kids only woke up in a bad mood if I were to get out of bed before they woke up and they found I was not next to them. If not try cosleeping. See dr. sears. I try to never let my kids to the crying point as it is such an aggravating noise!!!
I think I also may homeschool our 6 year old next fall. Had you emailed me once before about that? I am still a bit on the fence so I have not started searching others out too much yet...