Bedtime :((((( | Imamother

amother

Denim

Sun, Aug 19 2018, 9:26 pm

My 2.5 year old will not stay in bed!!!!!!!! He learned how to climb out of his crib and I can not get him to stay in there no matter what!!! I'm losing my marbles already. I tried everything; bribes, punishments, yelling, talking.
HELP!!!

amother

Denim

Sun, Aug 19 2018, 10:28 pm

No, he usually does not nap. He always gave me trouble when it came to bedtime but eventually I trained him to sleep. (I let him cry and cry and cry...[and I cried with him] And he learned that he's not coming out so he started going to sleep nicely) but he recently discovered how to climb out of his crib and it's been hell since then! He goes to sleep but wakes himself up about an hour later and then refuses to go back to sleep. I'm at my wits end. It's 10:30 pm and my toddler is still demanding my attention!!

amother

Seagreen

Sun, Aug 19 2018, 10:35 pm

I read lie next to my toddler and read her books, until she falls asleep. ( The other controversial method I use sometimes is videos).
It's tiring and time consuming ( but so yum!) I will be following this thread for more ideas.

tachles

Sun, Aug 19 2018, 10:36 pm

I don’t fight it. There are times that my kids were able to stay in bed by themselves - usually untill age 2.5 and after age 5 or 6.
There are times they weren’t able to, I see it as an emotional need. I took a book and sat in their room untill they fell asleep. If you are mentally prepared that this is what it’ll take you won’t “lose your marbles” you’ll just know that this is like a forced downtime that Hashem arranged for you. You’ll even look forward to resting , or reading. Soon enough they’ll be sleeping all on their own. And they’ll remember having a caring mother, I can remember my mother sitting in my room in my childhood. As id fall asleep I’d check again that she’s still there. It’s comforting.

amother

Denim

Sun, Aug 19 2018, 11:03 pm

tachles wrote:

I actually do stay with him until he falls asleep. The problem is that he wakes himself up shortly afterwards. No matter how many times I sit with him, he wakes himself up. Which is why I think (know) this isn't working and there has to be a better way.

amother

Dodgerblue

Mon, Aug 20 2018, 12:14 am

Take the wall off the cot so he doesn't feel like he's trapped. Then read lots and lots and lots of social stories and offer a prize for the morning if he stays in bed.

We had at least 4 books that we read over and over again and I bought a big lot of Beanie Babies. DS would choose one at night and we'd talk about how much it wanted to be his and it would wait in the kitchen until morning to find out if he stayed in his bed etc. If he came out I'd remind him about the stuffed animal and/or ask what the kids in the book would do.

We got 1 night the first week but by the 3rd week he was staying in bed.

He still comes out sometimes (been about 6 months) but we'll go back with a bit of coaxing. I find it happens more if he didn't get so much physical contact during the day so if he comes out I'll give him a big bear hug and offer to carry him back to bed. That helps a quite a bit too.

chocolatecake

Mon, Aug 20 2018, 12:18 am

I ly next to my two yr old until she falls asleep. It’s the only way that works! I still ly with my 3.5 yr old too sometimes. Bh my five yr old doesn’t need me anymore so there is hope for the rest of them too!

tachles

Mon, Aug 20 2018, 1:36 am

amother wrote:

Oh that’s a whole different issue. I wonder why he’s waking up. Is he scared , is there emotional stuff he’s going through right now like a new playgroup ? New sibling ? Is he hungry, you can change your routine so he eats a more filling meal or snack right before bedtime.
Agree with pp, remove the side of the crib. It’s a claustrophobic feeling at that age to feel contained in bed. Plus It serves no purpose if he can climb out , only he’s more likely to get hurt climbing out when he suddenly wakes up and isn’t being clear minded.

It’s annoying when they wake up at night hope this passes soon

Teomima

Mon, Aug 20 2018, 11:25 am

A: If he's climbing out of his crib, he's too old for a crib. Move him to/convert it to a toddler bed.

B: Check for environmental factor that wakes him. Is he too hot? Too cold? Could there be a mosquito buzzing about that wakes him up?

C: I'm all for attachment parenting, but I think, in a situation like this, starting with him till he falls asleep may be problematic. If he semi-wakes and expects you to still be there, then sees you're gone, this might cause him to fully wake up. If, however, he gets used to you leaving the room before he's fully also, he may be able to doze back off even in your absence.

D: Make sure he had everything he needs. A lovey, water, nightlight, whatever.

Good luck! It's a common age to have sleep issues. This, too, shall pass.