At my wits end with a 2year olds bedtime

mummyroysof3

Does the room need to be darker? I'm guessing so if she can see to empty stuff out etc. I've threatens to brick up the kids windows when I've been frustrated over lack if sleep. We have blackout roller blinds from Argos and blackout curtains from eBay and it's been much better.

notanewuser

Baths wake my LO up. She'd have to be an inch thick with mud before I'd give her a bedtime bath.

What you've described could feel like punishment to a 2 year old, especially if she simply isn't ready to sleep at 7:30pm. (Why have you chosen that as bedtime?). Mine has never been in bed that early.

RedBern

count yourself lucky.....

http://7online.com/family/viral-twin-babies-wont-let-mom-put-them-to-bed/240183/

ganderson1804

Thank you to everyone who has taken the time to reply. I will try and answer everyone’s questions.

For the past 2 weeks we have been going for a long walk every night and she does seem to tire but once we’re back in the house see seems to get a second wind and comes to life again.

On nights she has a bath its straight into the bath after we’re finished tidying from tea. She gets a bath, out and into PJs, through to brush her teeth and wash her face, chooses a story, get its read with the lights dimmed, a few quiet nursery rhymes and then we leave her. On nights she doesn’t bath we go to the park / walk and then follow the same routine once we’re home from PJs onwards.

She is still napping but only around 30-45mins max 1 hour around lunchtime.

I appreciate everyone saying she may not be ready for bed at 7.30pm but we are out the door at 6.30am every weekday morning and in order for her to get a decent night’s sleep I want her bedded at a reasonable time as she’s up so early. On Friday and Saturday nights she’s up until 9, 9.30 sometimes and then sleeps in until around 7.30-8am.

Her room has a black out blind and lined curtains so it’s pretty dark when the lights are turned off. But I’m sure you know yourself its not long before your eyes adjust to what light you do have. It’s not completely dark but the nights are drawing in so hopefully this won’t be an issue for long. She understands when the curtains are closed its bedtime and when they are open its not.

Thanks – its soooooo hard to stay calm at times! It’s so frustrating! Not so bad when both myself and my husband are home but when he’s out at football and I’m on my own it’s a nightmare!

I maybe should just leave her to it. It just winds me up when I hear her banging around at 9.30 after being in there for 2 hours that she’s still sat up playing and destroying her room!

Maybe should try a later bedtime and leaving her too it. Do I do that with the door closed or open? If its open I can guarantee she’ll come out constantly. It its closed then she plays. Thanks again everyone – really appreciate it!

Gillyx

We had this issue when my LO turned two, we had to stop the naps, even now if he has even 10 minutes in the car he'l be up to 10/11pm. Wasn't pleasant in the beginning but it's working fine now, he sleeps 7-7/8, goes to bed not a peep

Stevie_Palimo

Worth a read here :-


http://www.supernanny.co.uk/Advice/-/Parenting-Skills/-/Routine-and-Teamwork/Bedtime-Routine.aspx

Mojisola

Ganderson1804 wrote: »

Bedded at 7.30pm, still coming out at 10pm.

Ganderson1804 wrote: »

[/SIZE][/FONT]I appreciate everyone saying she may not be ready for bed at 7.30pm but we are out the door at 6.30am every weekday morning and in order for her to get a decent night’s sleep I want her bedded at a reasonable time as she’s up so early.

But she's not getting a decent night's sleep! She's obviously not sleepy at the time you think she should be going to sleep.

Every child is different and every child goes through different stages. Be flexible - being stressed-out every night because of bedtime battles isn't good for you.

Crabapple

My little girl is 2.5. She will also trash her room if not tired.

To be honest, I think she needs to drop that nap, as much as it might be a pain for you! If my girl sleeps even 15 mins in the day it throws bedtime completely off and she can be rampaging for up to 2 hours. Without it, she does teeth etc then into her room for a story and we leave her in bed saying we will go get the magic sleepy dust

Almost never hear from her again until morning (only if poorly or has a nightmare).

I had to remind nursery not to let her nap as she had an hour the other week and it took us until gone 10pm before she finally gave in.

It's rare now for her to fall asleep in the day (done about 4 months now with no naps), but if she does I gently wake her and do something quiet with her like puzzles or a bit of tv until she gets her energy up enough to run around again.

ganderson1804

Mojisola wrote: »

But she's not getting a decent night's sleep! She's obviously not sleepy at the time you think she should be going to sleep.

Every child is different and every child goes through different stages. Be flexible - being stressed-out every night because of bedtime battles isn't good for you.

Thanks for replying. I know what you mean but if I lie down with her or sit in her room at 7.30pm she will go to sleep. She is exhausted - tea time is a nightmare as she's grumpy and obviously needs her bed. Even during story time she's sleepy and rubbing her eyes. It's just when she's left to her own devices she finds something better to do than go to sleep!

ganderson1804

Crabapple wrote: »

My little girl is 2.5. She will also trash her room if not tired.

To be honest, I think she needs to drop that nap, as much as it might be a pain for you! If my girl sleeps even 15 mins in the day it throws bedtime completely off and she can be rampaging for up to 2 hours. Without it, she does teeth etc then into her room for a story and we leave her in bed saying we will go get the magic sleepy dust

Almost never hear from her again until morning (only if poorly or has a nightmare).

I had to remind nursery not to let her nap as she had an hour the other week and it took us until gone 10pm before she finally gave in.

It's rare now for her to fall asleep in the day (done about 4 months now with no naps), but if she does I gently wake her and do something quiet with her like puzzles or a bit of tv until she gets her energy up enough to run around again.

I think you're right - we need to try and drop the nap. Hard to do when she's with other people when I'm at work but I will instil in everyone that it has to happen!


Thanks again!