At my wits end with a 2year olds bedtime

moomoomama27

Perhaps she does just need a bit of company to get to sleep! My eldest was like that, between the ages of about 21 months to about 2.5 yrs I used to sit with her and rub her face, and then once she was into a drowsy sleep just leave then. She didn;t like me going, but we had great success once I started staying with her for a while. All she needed was a bit of comfort before falling asleep. It's worth a try!!

ciderwithrosie_2

I used to have to sit with my youngest otherwise he'd have just mucked about and disturbed the older two who were at school. He didn't sleep through a whole night until he was 3 and stopped napping in the day at a year old... I was bloody tired, even if he wasn't!


You can't have her trashing her room though, that's very naughty and needs nipping in the bud!

CRANKY40

Mine was awful going to bed at the same age, until my cousin gave me her Tomy musical star. He went to nursery and they played music at nap time, and music worked for us at home too. It can be changed to play for 5 minutes or 15 and has a ceiling light show. He's 9 now and quite capable of falling asleep on his own (and does if we sleep out anywhere or we're on holiday), but in the week he likes the music on and he's flat out in minutes. Maybe your daughter would like some music, or a story tape? A story wouldn't have worked for mine as he is a very determined child and would stay awake to hear the end. Music gets him every time though.

Incidentally, a group of the children from his nursery went to the same school with him. Aged 7 they were taken to see a theatre performance and their sleeping music from nursery was played. Five children fell asleep in the theatre :rotfl:

sooty&sweep

Trust your instincts about whats right for your child and you.
People can only tell you what worked for them but all children are different & circumstances are different.
Is your child tired when you try to put them to bed ?
No, then adjust naps during the day & maybe a later bed time.
Yes, then need to find ways of keeping them settled long enough to fall asleep.
My son never went to bed much before 8.30. He's 13 now & still a night owl.
My daughter initially settled easily 7 - 7.30 but when she reached 2 ish we struggled to settle her so early.
Jen

Lily_rose_2

When she trashes her room/gets out of bed etc....what happens? Do you go in to the room? Engage in conversation? Is she gaining your attention in some way by doing it? You need to keep any response as minimal & uninteresting as possible:rotfl:

I had sleep problems with my eldest & I know it's such hard work! I used to sit by his bed, ignoring him, until he eventually went to sleep. I then started moving further away from the bed each night, still ignoring, until eventually he would settle on his own. My DD is 7....she's just not tired enough to sleep at the bedtime I would prefer, so she's allowed to read, play with some dolls/cars in bed....she does eventually crash out. She will try every trick to get me back into her room, constant questions, requests for certain toys etc....I just say "no...time for sleep"...she eventually gives up!

Good luck, I know it's the most exhausting time! If it's any consolation, my son is now 14.....getting him up is the problem!!;)

Counting_Pennies_2

You say she is cranky at tea time and shattered at 7:30 and will sleep instantly at 7:30pm.


I wonder if she is over tired. If she has been up since 6:30am, she might need to go to bed a 6:30pm.


Have you tried giving her an earlier tea and bringing the bed time routine even earlier?


Often when a child is over tired they won't settle and go slightly manic