My two year old twins in the past have been going to bed really well with little fuss. But, the last month or so, it has been horrible! They scream and cry for at least an hour. I let them watch a movie before bed, I give them a little snack, I read and sing to them. but, lately it doesnt seem to help. One of the boys always bullys the other one. Which makes it worse. We moved their beds together and we moved them apart. Nothing seems to work. It's getting so bad that they keep my daughter up at night. Her room is right across from theirs. I just don't know what to do any more.
Ok, I read all of your answers and compiled them together. My kids laid down with little fuss and stayed in bed. They have been laying down for about 45 min and I have not had a problem since. Thank you all so much!!!!
You don't say how old they are????
Hard to give ideas when we don't know how old they are, but I would definitely not let them watch TV before bed. It may seem like it relaxes them, but it really revs up the brain to crave for more action. Try replacing the TV time with a low key game and lots of books.
Hang in there. I have twins boys that are about the same age as yours. It's tough, since they just feed on each other's behavior. Mine have been pretty good sleepers, but do go through stages. I'd maybe try skipping the movie...my kids sometimes get wild if they watch TV too late in the day. Also, I have done this... If they are screaming in their beds for a long time, I go in and keep the lights out. Then I sit down in their room and whisper stories to them (usually about people or animals going to bed!). They can't hear the stories unless they stop screaming, so they usually quiet down. I have also done the "crying it out". It's sad for me, but it works after a few days.
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A.-
I agree with the recommendation of no TV before bedtime. It used to fire up my son. What I used to do was have my son start a story and I would put a section in and then him and then me, etc until I finished the story. He would be in his PJs lying in bed when we did this. I wish I could be more of help. My guy was/is a very good sleeper. This is the only issue I can't answer with some level of experience.
What's the likelihood that your twins are going through a growth spurt? That could make a difference. Do you have room to separate them? A guess is that they are vying for individual attention?!?!
S.
I second the recommendation of the book, "Sleepless in America." Also, the no TV before bedtime rule. The movement of the lights on the screen has some sort of physiological effect on their brains that can interfere with sleep. Mary Sheedy Kurcinka writes the book and she is local to the Twin Cities. She personally helped me with my kids' sleep issues during the time she was writing the book. She also has a website. Good luck.
I'm in the same situation. My twins are 22 months old and have been climbing out of their cribs for months now, but won't even lay down in a toddler bed. To get them to sleep my husband or I have to stay in the room and keep on laying them down, retrieving lost blankets/nuks and singing to them until they finally stop screaming and fighting and pass out. Basically one of us is prisoner for over an hour a night (I have to do it during the day too for naps).
I completely sympathize with you because it really, really sucks! We have a 5 y/o, 3 y/o and 7 wk old that we're trying to get to bed at that time too which is difficult when the twins are being little hell raisers!
Hopefully someone on here will have some advice! :)
Good luck!
Option: have them sleep on your bedroom floor. Two (and three)is a hard age for the sleeping thing!! I have found that my twins and my daughter did much better when they were in my room. They slept better, and more importantly, they stayed out of trouble! If they were really tired I'd put them in their own beds, but if they got into trouble or wouldn't sleep, then they had to sleep in our room. Transitioning them back to sleeping in their own beds, I used star charts and rewards. My daughter is three now and she still gets up and gets into trouble. I give her permission to play quietly in her room if she isn't tired, but usually I end up putting her on our floor and then she sleeps like a rock.
I think snacks are very important at that age. If my three year old daughter doesn't get a snack, she wakes up hungry in the middle of the night. Actually, my twin boys are seven and they will wake up hungry or have a hard time falling asleep if they don't have a snack too.
I agree that the movie might be to much for them. Also you might try putting the one who seems to get them going down first then after he settles down put the other down. If they take turns doing this then sit in with them. You can put a rocking chair in there, take a book and put on a quiet soft lullaby cd. Then ignore them and read your book.
I have 6 year old twins. I'm thinking a movie maybe stimulating them to much. Also, tell them no books if we don't stay in bed tonite and if they don't the next night remind them why they didn't get the book and if you can stay strong and let them know that is not getting to you which I know is hard that whatever is the most important take it away as a consequence. If they can see it upsets you it empowers them:) This too will pass, ages and stages:) Everything takes about three days or nights in a row til it passes and it will as long as they don't have the power stay strong, firm and undercontrol and low firm voice if your upset bingo they can sense and in turn you get two little frustrated kids. We still have a snack just a heathy snack no sugary ones usally crackers or dry ceral or pretzels. Hope you find this helpful. Trust me it will get easier and you will long for those days and laugh how you never thought it would end:) Mother of Twins
This might sound funny, but has worked wonderful with my daughter in the past (as well as several friends). Try making up a story about bedtime that you can tell them during the day when they are happy. Tell them it at a typical story time or maybe while talking/visiting during a meal. I would say something like: "Would you like to hear a story about 2 special little children? Well, there are 2 special children who have such fun everyday. They love to ride their bikes, paint, read books, and play with their mommy and daddy (adjust to your situation/likes). Everyday they play and eat and play and eat, and at night time they go to sleep. When it is time for bed, the children love to take a bubble bath, read a book with their mommy, and then they happily go to sleep in their bed. They are so happy and pleasent that their mommy loves to be around them and do special things with them. This is what they do and they all lived happily ever after." Wow - wasn't that a good story! Now, do you think you might like to do that? Well, at bedtime that is what we will do. We will take a bubble bath, read a book, and then you will go to sleep and be happy. Let's try that tonight!
Give it a shot! Be enthusiastic and positive. Sometimes kiddos just need a little encouragement, and to know what is going to happen. You are setting them up for success. If they cry, just remind them about what you talked about earlier, and that the children are to go to bed happy. Then, in the morning, do something special, make their favorite breakfast, and you can all live happily ever after!
This sounds really hard, and you must be so frustrated.
My only bit of advice is to take the movie out of the routine. Studies have shown that the kind of light you get from a tv or computer stimulates the brain and makes it hard to sleep, so people are advised not to use the computer or watch tv right before bedtime. This may be why your twins can't settle down.
It's not great for little kids to watch too much tv anyway, so this would reduce the amount of tv they watch daily, too.
