Bedtime Help - Natchitoches, LA

I wish I had advice for you. My 3 yr old started sleeping in her "big bed" in her room at 2. She was fine with it, until she got sick and we brought a toddler into our room for her to sleep in so we could all get some sleep but, even with removing the toddler bed, she still wants to sleep in our room on our couch. When we travel, she sleeps with us in motel rooms and we have to readjust when we get back home to weaning her from our room. I guess we just let her come to our room now so we can all get sleep at night. We will work her into her room on a regular basis as time goes on. Good luck!

I go through pretty much the same issues with my 2 1/2 & 1 1/2 year olds, The 1 1/2 year old recently came out of her crib because she was climbing out & scared to death of the crib tent, anyhow, she started sleeping in the toddler bed & did fine for the first month but then my husband made the mistake of letting her stay up later one night with her 2 1/2 year old sister & him because they were watching a movie, anyhow, long story short after she had been easy to lay down in her bed & fall asleep on her own for over a year, she now thinks that she has to lay on the couch with her daddy & watch tv until she falls asleep. With our 2 1/2 year old we started out doing the family bed thing, and had planned on her sleeping in her own bed around 1, but needless to say she wasnt ready to leave the family bed, so she has recently started falling asleep, sleeping through the night, and going to sleep by herself if we let her sleep on the couch. As before it was a battle and I had to lay down with her in my bed until she fell asleep & then put her in her bed after she fell asleep & she would get up all through the night & get into my bed. I know it may not sound like great parenting, but for the sake of sleep I let my 2 sleep on the couches if that is where they will sleep alone & fall asleep without a battle.

Hello A.. I understand how you feel. I have a almost four year old and a one year old. My son (four year old) doesn't like to go to sleep by himself. We have tried the tv in his room, bedtime stories, staying up late, and the best way to get him to bed is laying down with him in our bed and then moving him or he will lay on the couch till he falls asleep. I have spoiled him since I work at home I just let him rest on the couch while I work in the evenings and when he falls asleep I move him. i have noticed that when he doesn't take a nap during the day he is easier to go to sleep in his own room and bed. We have a ritual at night we take a bath, get a drink, read a book and say good night to everyone then off to bed. Tha really works when he hasn't had a nap during the day. So you might try that. I am still looking for ideas also. I hope maybe the no nap during the day helps out.

S. T.
www.always4myfamily.com

This is going to sound obvious but why not get a bigger gate. They are all over the internet. Google dog or baby gate and you will be over whelmed will gates as big a ten feet wide.

I had the same problem with my son. My pediatrician recommended setting limits, putting him in his bed, and walking out of the room while allowing him to cry himself to sleep. It was unbearable to repeat the cycle over and over until he was finally getting that we will not be playing after bedtime: No more stories, no extra attention, just constantly putting him back to bed setting the limits over and over with consistency. It was exhausting and took a couple of painful weeks but finally was successful. Of course, my son is very stubborn and strong willed.

Try reading Marc Weissbluth's "Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child" - it covers sleep matters for all ages of children, but especially infants and toddlers. Also, John Rosemond's books "Making the 'Terrible' Twos Terrific!" or "New Parent Power" also have good advice for these things. :)

We are having the same problem with our 2 1/2 year old. He was doing great and then when he was sick he slept with mom and dad. Now he doesn't want to go to his bed. Any other suggestions???