At 2 years old, children go through sleep tweaks. And this is expected and common and developmental based, and their cognition and imaginations are changing too, and they are also hitting physical/motor changes too. And, their emotions are not even fully developed yet.
Hence, it is a TON of stuff, and "growing pains" they are going through at this age.
How they used to sleep, no longer applies.
Because, they are no longer a baby. But a Toddler. Now.
Also at this age, developmentally, children may start to have nightmares. It is normal and developmental based.
And they also start to have general "fears" of nighttime.
It is a reflection of their changing cognition/imagination and also, their emotions are NOT even fully developed, yet at this age.
And hence, they cannot accurately say, why or how they feel or what is bothering them. And they don't even have the vocabulary to then analyze their own discomfort much less, to tell the parent.
And we cannot turn "off" their imaginations or feelings.
It is an age stage.
It is not easy for them either.
But yes, at this age a child still needs comforting. They get anxious. They "miss" their parent etc.
What we did was: have a futon on the floor of our bedroom. And then ANY time our kids needed too, they could come in and sleep there, on the floor. We got sleep that way, and they got sleep.
It did not disturb anyone.
It is not only the parent... that is getting interrupted sleep. It is the child, too. Sure, a parent needs sleep. We all do.
But at certain age phases and developmental hardships, a child needs us. It will ebb and flow.
The sleeping patterns of a child, is never static.
It changes.
And kids hit many stages of growing pains and cognitive/emotion based changes, too. Developmentally. And they can't help it. They are changing/growing/developing regardless. And it is not easy for them.
Growing pains are not just physical. It is also their cognition, too. Changing. But they don't know that. But the parent needs to know that.
For me/us... instead of fighting against it, I would go according to my child's cues.
And then bedtime was not a battle.
Try, talking with your son. About it. And see, why/how come he is doing this. My kids always took comfort in my talking with them... about things at bedtime.
And maybe he may have an ear infection as the other posted below.