Need Help Getting Toddler to Sleep with Sheet and Christmas.

I don't know about the train, but maybe the blanket...
My little guy won't use a sheet, or the cute comforter we got him. But, he loves soft fleece. So I took him to the fabric store and let him pick out some fleece-they have practically every cartoon and animal you can think of at JoAnn Fabrics. So it was one layer he picked out and a plain color for the back(the plain is usually a little cheaper). Then I just cut and knotted it, now he sleeps under that and stays toasty. I think I got 3 yards so it would be about the right length for the bed. Also I put the comforter on the bed over it and fold it down to the end at night -cause he won't sleep with it on him- and that helps keep the fleece spread out and covering him as he moves around at night.
Good luck! And Merry Christmas!

As far as the blanket question what I did for my 5 year old was still let him have his favorite blankey and I would put it on top of his big boy blankey's so that he would still have it for comfort. As far as kicking off the covers both of my children do this the key is to dress them warm at night with pj pants and also socks. There is absolutly no way to keep the covers on them at all times. Your son is three but he understands alot try to explain to him that he needs to keep the big blankey's on or he will get sick from the cold , then he will have to see the DOCTOR...

I don't think it would be being a grench. I wouls make sure they knew it was mine. I saved a few stuffed animals and gave then to my boys knowing Momma loved them first. It's been a long time now as the youngest is turning 28. He and the oldest 35 got the biggest hoot out of it. I did the same thing with Mike's boys. Greg has not had any children. I gave them a quilt and some animals I had made they loved it. Mike actually took the blanket and put it on the bed he and his wife share. It was there for years. The boys coyuld only look at it. They understand the best gift is one from the heart not really an expensive one. One Michael got a gift from a boy and he boy was embarared because it was not as expensive as the other boys' gifts. I told him your gift will mean more to Mike because it came from your heart. It was a shoe box full of baseball cards. Michael still has them after all these years.

Question #1: My kids will not sleep under the sheets either. They dont like that the sheets are cold when you first get under them, and my daughter wont because she doesnt want to have to make her bed. Each of them has a couple of the fleece throws and that is what they prefer to sleep under, but I do make them sleep in footed pajamas because I know they will not sleep under them. Then depending on how cold it seems. I will make my 2 year old wear socks and a t-shirt underneath. My older kids have to wear warm jammies, but they are old enough that if they get cold they will wake up and grab the blankets.

Questions #2: I am assuming you do not want the wooden train sets? If those are what you are meaning, then they can be mounted gto the train tables or even if you just got a sheet of panelling or something. My twins got the train table set a couple Christmas ago, and it stayed in our living room until they stopped playing with it, and I had my dad set it up and attach the pieces to it with nails and glue, and it was much nicer than having the pieces all over my house. Now my 2 year old is discovering it and it is fun to play with again.

My daughter HATES blankets on her while sleeping and refuses to wear blanket sleepers! So, I feel you. :)

My husband and I bought a small ceramic space heater for her room and put it on after she falls asleep. (It's not too loud.) This seems to do the trick.

As for the train set, I think the idea of giving the boys your set is wonderful. Just be prepared for things to get broken or go missing. If you are extremely attached, it might be better to wait until the boys are older and get them a set of their own for now.

I know your kids want a real train but I think they are too young for that now. I speak from experience here...

My 2 boys are now 5 and 2.5 yrs old.
My dad gave them the Lionel Thomas O scale train set last year ... (recommended age is 8+) with fast track, which is much easier than the old-style track. As far as mounting it to a board it would be more difficult than the old-style tracks but the plus side it is easier to put together.

But, they were too rough with the train and a coupler on either Annie or Clarabel got broken. Also, you have to really watch them at all times when they play with a set like this as the entire thing is always electrified (when it is plugged in.) So we took it down and now put up their GeoTrax. They love them and they are age-appropriate. They are sturdy and meant for little ones.

Merry Christmas,

LisaD

I also have 2 boys and neither will sleep with the sheets yet. They wear footie PJ's when it's really cold and they both use those 50 X 60 microfiber fleece blankets. They each have 2 or 3 in their favorite cartoon characters/superheros and that's usually big enough to keep them covered all night. My husband comes up to bed much later than and he usually checks them and recovers them up if need be. Good Luck.
We have the Christmas special trains, Mickey and one was just Christmas/plays carols etc. They both take a pretty good beating and were less than $20. Look at Kmart/Walmart or party supply stores.

I agree with another mom that they might be too young for the Lionel train set. I would try the Geotracks train sets they have out now. The trains move with a simple remote and everything is made out of a hard plastic so they can really go at it without breaking anything. If you really have your heart set on giving them your train, check to make sure it isn't worth anything first and be prepared for it to get trashed. My mother gave my brothers her dad's old Lionel train set. They tore that thing up and later she found out it had been worth a lot of money....oops too late now!

1) Do you have a toddler bed or a twin? I got one of these for our crib:
http://perfectlysafe.stores.yahoo.net/81202-bedwarm.html
But I know they also sell them in bigger sizes.
I don't like the idea of electric heaters unless they are ceramic heaters (not a heated coil that can catch on fire) and have an automatic shut-off in case they are tipped.

2) Instead of giving your old train to them as a gift, I would either mount it and set it up now, or mount it and just set it up over night for them to find on Christmas morning running around the tree. But, I don't think it's bad to give them "mommy's train from when she was little" as a gift.

Question #1) If he won't sleep in footie pajamas, just layer him up really well. My dd is almost three and we've been working on blankets for years (or at least it seems) The only thing that worked for us was to tuck them under the mattress when we put her to bed in her big girl bed. Not super tight or anything, just enough that it's not so easy to kick off. You can also layer his clothes. Make him wear two pairs of pj pants, two shirts, and nice thick socks.
We live in a drafty old farmhouse and sometimes my dd will even wear her slippers to bed. She's MUCH better about blankets now, but still kicks them off. Just keep trying!

Question #2) I would stick with a kid friendly train. We got my nephew a nice GeoTrax set for Christmas when he was 3. He's 6 now and still plays with it. We get him a new piece every year for Christmas and birthday. He's got quite the set! If you want to give them your old train set, I don't think that's grinchy at all! I love when things get handed down. They are probably too young to appreciate that it was yours when you were a kid, so maybe wait a few years.

Our 3 year old has the same problem. He's always cold but kicks the blankets off. I bought fleece and made him a blanket he can have with his favorite newborn blanket. It's a little bigger and seems to do the trick. Apparently grandma and grandpa are getting him a sleeping bag for Christmas. I'm hoping that does the trick!

I'd totally do the Lionel set from when you were a child. How cool that they could play with your old toys and appreciate keeping something of value that you can pass down to them (without having to spend the money on a new set).

I think my nine year old just started covering himself up through the night in the last year!
Now my two year old is the same way.

It's so frustrating! As for the oldest, I would just tuck him in once he'd fallen asleep. He would wind up out of his covers and never wake to put them back on but I just made sure to dress him warmly and figured once he got really cold or uncomfortable he'd figure it out.
Pjs with feet never worked for us because they're both tall and thin. Fleece pants and comfy thick socks.
The two year old is proving much more challenging though! He will violently kick off any covers and also likes to undress himself!! As he's gotten older and able to understand better, he will now leave his pjs on at night. He naps naked though (kids are so funny!), so just in the past month or so he's been better about the covers. I just threaten to make him put his clothes back on if he won't cover up. And since that's nap time I'm awake and able to check on him and cover him up periodically.

My kids did/do the same thing. My son was the 1st to be moved to a big boy bed. For the 1st year he wouldnt use his covers. My daughter who is still in her crib just uses her blanket to lay on. We went to walmart and bought electric heaters for their room. They were about $19 a piece. they have a temperature setting on them I think as high as 80 degrees. So we didnt have to worry if they were covered or not their room was staying nice and warm even though the rest of the house cooled down at night. Hopefully that helps you out for your 1st question.

We live in an old farmhouse, and my daughter doesn't like blankets on her either. We bought a ceramic programmable heater for her room. We set a temperature that will keep her warm but not hot. That way if she does kick off the covers, I know that her room is warm enough that she won't get a chill.

Passing down your train set is not grinching, I think its a wonderful way of passing down memories. Think of the fun you will have playing with the kids an telling them stories of when you were little plalying with the train set. You can always buy a new accessory to go with it. Have a Merry Christmas. L.

Would your son like a sleeping bag? He could put the blanky inside and cuddle it.

I don't think it's grinchy to give them your train. Just make sure they know it was yours, that will make it more special; and as many moms said, be prepared for it to be mis-handles, or wait until they are a little older.

K. Z.