Help someone please for the love of all that is holy in the world! My darling 2.5 year old is just dead set on not going to bed at night now. First of all, let me explain that we have a great bedtime routine that has worked well for 2 years - bath, brush teeth, pee, read books, cuddle and sing with lights out and then bedtime. My husband is a tax accountant and basically ever since tax season started, she's having a hard time sleeping. I think she misses him, is scared, and then has become clingier with me. She's probably afraid I'll "go away" too and therefore doesn't want to let me out of her sight. She used to go down like clockwork (happily and awake when we left the room) by 8pm every night. Now we battle until 10pm or 11pm. I don't go back in nor do I indulge her but she is big enough to get out of her bed and room and comes back out. Even with a gate up, she just knocks it down and gets out. She's also recently potty trained so she knows saying she has to go pee is just another great excuse to get out of bed. On the days she skips naps, she'll pass out from exhaustion but the days she does nap, forget it. This can go on for hours. We keep bringing her back in, letting her pee, whatever it is without trying to indulge the attempt to eat, play or whatever but nothing works. So we end up going to bed with the lights out, gate up and she will sometimes just cry in the doorway for 5 minutes before going to bed. I would love any ideas because everything I read doesn't apply - like do a great bedtime routing, stick to a schedule, etc. We've done all that and yes it worked out well! But now what??? Thanks!!!
I have a daughter the same age, they are so fun at this age, but OH so much energy!!! I can't give you any suggestions, because I'm going through the same thing. Although, she has NEVER been a good sleeper since day one. So, yes I have been sleep deprived for 2 1/2 years. Tried all the books, Dr. Sears, No Cry Sleep Solution, nothing worked. She is VERY strong willed. Good Luck!!!
The book "The No-Cry Sleep Solution for Toddler and Preschoolers" has TONS of suggestions, I can't list them all. The main ideas are lengthening your bedtime routine and working a plan. It may take quite a while, but she starts with being in the bed with the child, in a chair next to the bed, and day by day moving it into the hall, etc.
Good luck, we struggle with this too, but the book helped (mine is 3 1/2 and she is also Emma ;)
After raising numerous children I have found they get to just about 3 and 11 p.m. seems to be their fun time. Remember how when you were little it was get a drink, go potty, etc. before you went to bed and then you had no more excuses. It worked on you and I just bet it will work on your child....The only way I could handle the 'midnight creeper' it was to stop the naps until he would get back into the swing of things. It doesn't last too long but I would much rather have him in bed at a decent hour than getting his second wind and staying up half the night turning their days and nights around and mine upside down. One note when they don't take a nap stick to the same (or close)bed time because if they go to sleep too early they may be getting up earlier. Good luck. P.S. I made it I am now 60 years old and raising my grandchildren...they were all 'midnight creepers'.
We have the opposite problem with a 2 1/2 year old who likes to get up at the crack of dawn. I digress... My friend had the same problem with her daughter. Her solution was to give up the nap. Although she was hesitant to do so because of her daughter's young age, it made all the difference in the world in terms of getting her to bed at night.
She's just testing and because she has potty trained and knows she has some control she is testing it out on you. I would continue the night time routine. Perhaps spend a little extra time with her during the day. Put a timer on for 15 minutes and call it Mommy and me time. During this time don't allow anything to interrupt or take you away from the time except the beep of the timer. Allow her to choose what you will do before you start the timer so you don't waste precious moments deciding what to do. Also at this age they don't need a nap everyday. My youngest went about a year and a half where she only needed to nap about 3 times during the week. I found putting the bedtime earlier helped. It is a bit of an adjustment so be aware of that. Also if she only cries for a short time at the gate, I would just keep doing it. She will learn that you aren't going to give in and she will give that up. Good Luck!
My 3 year old has the same problem with bed time and he has not napped since about 1 1/2 y.o. He was a great sleeper and had no bed time issues until Halloween scared him and since last October its war getting him to bed and to stay there. So i wish you luck because we have not found a solution yet either!!!!! Its really getting old.
