Keeping Toddler in Bed - Raleigh,NC

J.,
It's difficult to communicate effectively about this issue with the toddler who, after all, is still a baby herself. Sounds like when she gets up, she thinks 'up' is 'up,' and everyone should be there! My son was like that when he was little, and now his six-year-old daughter is like that, too ... and always has been!

Does she wake up hungry/thirsty? Does she have favorite toys that she can play quietly with? Here are a couple of suggestions:

On your way to bed, place a snack size baggie of dry cherrios in her bed, along with a sipppy cup of diluted juice.

Put some books in the bed with her, along with a favorite snuggly toy.

Continue with the side down on her crib so that she can come to you.

Another angle on this same approach is to make a game along with the six year old of being "quiet as a mouse." Go through the house on tiptoes, whisper softly to each other. Practice sending the girls for things, and tell them, "Now remember, be quiet as a mouse!"

Then ...
Tell the 19 m.o. when you put her to bed the night before that when she wakes up, she can come to your room for a breakfast snack and some juice, but that she must be "quiet as a mouse." She will most likely continue the 'new game' with you, and high praise is due when she makes it to your rooom without waking her big sister.

Hope this helps.

I have a 3 year old and a 14 month old in the same room together. They both sleep in toddler beds. In the mornings to keep my 14 month old from waking his brother, I leave the door to his room open a little and he comes and gets into bed with me. He will sit in bed with me and play or watch tv. He's happy with getting a little cuddle time, and his brother gets to sleep a little longer.

This might sound bizarre, but it is do-able, and might work. You and hubby, make a sleeping arraingement in the living room, pull out sofa or something. Put 19 m0 old in room by herself, make sure you have room darkening shades on the windows. Put the other 2 in the other bedroom. It will be temporary, and you do what you have to do to get a night's sleep.

Find out what motivates her. If she is waking up her sister to be a playmate, tell her that she can not play with her sister because she was using poor manners. If she is doing it because her sister turns on the tv for her, do not allow her to watch tv. Your 19 month old does it because she is getting something out of it, take that something away and you'll change her behavior:)

You could try using a sound machine. My youngest son is a very light sleeper so I got one for his room a few months ago and now he sleeps through everything. My sons, who are 2 and 5, recently decided they wanted to share a room. We keep the sound machine on in their room so if one wakes up early or during the night, it will drown out some of the noise they make and the other usually stays asleep. Or you could try to have your older daughter sleep in the same room with the baby for awhile until your middle daughter changes how she wakes in the mornings.