I am having issues getting my toddler to bed, nothing is consistant with what he does. One night he just plain won't stay in bed, we return him each time, silent. 3-4-5 am comes around he is ready to play....I am starting to worry about this behavior as I don't want him to hurt himself. I have put hook locks on all of the doors, and will tonight be putting one on the garage door after last nights incident.
His father and I are going to start to do the NO TALKING thing when we put him to bed, where first time just say bedtime and after that say nothing. When I started doing that last night after my 2.5 hours worth of trying to get him to stay in bed...truthfully it didn't make one bit of difference but we are going to keep doing that each night for a while and at least see if it does work.
I don't get it, we have a regular night time routine, after dinner he takes a bath, we brush teeth, then we read two books (the three of us read two books together), then we go say prayers and tuck him into bed...then his father and I spend the next hour to hour/half trying to get him to stay there.
I am concerned about all of this going on with his 1 year old brother being in the same room. The baby just got over a high fever and well he is a baby still and needs sleep...not saying the toddler does not, but when he just doesn't sleep then neither does anyone else in the house...
I can handle maybe an hour of placing him back into bed each night, with pore hopes to literally get through this phase, hoping for it to pass...but what can I do about him getting out of bed really late and starting to play while everyone else sleeps?
How can I reduce the number of times I place him back into bed each night...
I had the same problem with my now 9 year old when she was a toddler. I sat her down and talked about her behavior and explained that she was in a big girl bed now. I told her that when it was bed time she had to stay in bed like a big girl or she would have to be in the crib again. She didn't listen so the next night she went to bed in her crib. Once she knew I was serious she stayed in her toddler bed. In my experience she only had to spend 1 night in her crib after getting her toddler bed.
Good Luck!
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A.N.
answers from
Appleton
on
I was going to say what jill did, is he napping try cutting that out of his day id he does, if he isnt napping hopefully its a phase that will pass..soon
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J.
answers from
Minneapolis
on
Does he still nap? Our bedtime battles began when my son stopped needing a nap. Once he stopped napping he never came out.
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J.B.
answers from
Minneapolis
on
I also had a son that didn't want to go to sleep until 2 am some nights when my 8 yr old was a toddler. It was sooo hard. He too needed to have his naps taken away. I know at daycare they were like, but he is so tired at night, i was like I am so tired at night and he isn't. Two weeks later he was in bed at a normal time. We started to have this problem with our now 2 yr old too. He still needs his nap, so we put him to bed a bit later, at like 8:30pm. We also only let his nap last 1 - 2 hrs during the day. I pretty much find our routine to be that I need him to tell him it is time to go to sleep or we will all be too tired to play the next day. I also let him have one more thing, animal, blanket, etc. to be in bed with him. I have found that by stating matter of factly that this is what is happening and by giving him one last opportunity to get something else that I suggest (don't get into the i want game) it really has worked. On nights when he just isn't ready for bed, I then take him out of bed for an additional 20 - 30 minutes to unwind a bit more and then next time there is no getting out of bed.
Good luck!
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J.R.
answers from
Minneapolis
on
I would try and cut out any naps so that he's sleeping longer during the night. Once in a great while if my 3 or 4 year olds are extra tired during the day I'll give a well deserved nap but not every day. I gave my 3 year old a choice when he came to my house (he's a foster child). He could go to bed at 7 like the rest of the kids or he could stand in the corner in his room until he decided he was ready for bed. He decided that bed was much more comfortable. I also have night lights and cd players in my kids' rooms and if they come out the first time they lose their music and then the next time they lose their light. They learn quickly to stay in their rooms.
I put my 15 month old to sleep in a pack and play in our room until we go to bed and then I put him in his crib. That way there is no 'visiting' between the boys or keeping each other up. My kids go to bed great at 7 now and are up just before 7 in the morning so it works perfectly.
Just be consistant and he'll learn that he isn't going to win the battle and will give up eventually :o)
Best Wishes,
J.
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L.B.
answers from
Minneapolis
on
Is he napping late? Does he get enough exercise during the day? Also you might try a little snack right before bed. Something like oatmeal or yogurt.
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A.T.
answers from
St. Cloud
on
N., I can just imagine the frustration! I think you are doing well at not talking and entertaining him getting up...I commend you for that! And for taking the iniative in putting on locks in prevention of a tragedy. Keeping our kids safe is a top priority...that is awesome that you have wasted no time in taking care of doors.
Some ideas...Have you considered having "a talk" with your toddler during the daytime (not at bedtime) about this being unacceptable behavior? I think young children are very comprehensive..more than us adults think! Also, I have found incentive charts to work well with just about anything, yet that is not foolproof for all children. Depending on how long this goes on, maybe consider talking with your pediatrician...maybe there is some other medical reason or something that this could be happening?
Wishing you the best of luck..and good rest!
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S.B.
answers from
Wausau
on
First off does he nap during the day? My first son (3rd child) used to get up sometime during the night and turn on lights and tv and run around (I'm a sound sleeper...) and it took forever to get my babysitter to QUIT napping him. Once he no longer napped he started sleeping all night again. Good luck!
