Is It Just Being Two?

Easy don't let them sleep through the day and then they will be exhausted at night and will go to sleep straight away

Do they sleep in the same room? If not then than I would ignore the demands, the whole supper nanny approach. Mine is 3 and had issues sleeping too but realized she wasn't expelling all that energy during the day. Naps may need to be shortened or cut out (my pediatrician told me this). What’s worked best for us 1 hr nap (although this is phasing out too) and lots of activities during the day. Gook luck

I think it's the age. My daughter turned three in October and until recently, we were going through something similar. And my kiddo was on a pretty good schedule and very active all day every day. It made very little difference. Dealing with defiant children all day or not, when you kid randomly goes into hysterics at bedtime, it's NO fun. I felt like I tried everything. Ignoring her did no good, she still came out and she would scream and disrupt her brother's schedule. Punishing her did no good either...it was pointless when she was so worked up. Catering to her every whim was exhausting and she seemed to find more that she needed. Her big one is "I need someone to lay with me." Finally last month I went a different route. "If you stay in bed and go to sleep like a big girl tomorrow we can bake some cookies together." My daughter LOVES to cook, so this was a big incentive for her. It was something we were going to do anyway...but she didn't know that. And it was a punishment I could live with if she kept calling me in. She called me in once that night, but after one reminder she went to bed. Each night I changed the incentive. It was always something I had planned and something I could live without. She did lose the privileged a few times. The first time she was devastated when she woke up and found out mommy really wasn't going to take her to the library since she didn't go to bed like a big girl. But it made a BIG impression with her. I slowly backed off the incentives. I'd put her to bed without a comment of what she could do the next day. If she asked, I'd say something like, "Let's just see how big a girl you can be." Then in the morning I'd praise her for being a big girl. Now we have a rouge night every once in a while, but usually she goes to bed without complaint. I am not sure how to handle that with two girls, twins make it interesting I am sure. So the positive reinforcement worked with my kiddo. Yes, it's bribery, but sometimes as parents, you do what you gotta do to get through.

i don't think it's "the age", it sounds like they're just used to having their demands met... this can/will carry on for years unless you and dad put a stop to it. if you know they are not sick or injured or in danger, IGNORE THEM. as for the juice leaking, stop giving them juice to go to bed with - not only is it completely unnecessary, it's gonna rot their teeth out. it'll be a rough few nights, but begin a rigid bedtime routine, i'm gonna read you ONE book, i'm gonna sing you ONE song, now it's bedtime, i'm not coming back in, you need to go to sleep. i'd rather hear 3 or 4 nights of screaming and then be DONE with it. good luck!

My 2 year old daughter is going through a similar phase right now. She was always a great sleeper (put herself to sleep at two months and started sleeping 12+hours most nights) in the last month or so she will constantly "stall" as I call it at bedtime. We will do her routine...books and sing. Then when I go to leave she has a million things to tell me, this hurts, she is thirsty, she has to go potty, etc... Some nights it can take forever to leave and if I leave right away she screams her head off, disrupting her older sister. Some nights are better than others, and I have found if she didn't take a nap she goes down just fine. Lately my daughter will ask to give my husband another kiss and I will tell her I will go see if he is still awake....she usually is fine with this and then goes to sleep. Good luck...no real advice to help, but hang in there and be strong and know this phase will pass

My older daughter was going through something like this. My husband had been regularly putting her to bed while I was putting our younger daughter down in the room next door. Interestingly enough, when I put her down, this stuff doesn't happen. Not surprising to me at all that there's a difference. My husband will go get the water, read another story, make another trip to the potty with full assistance (and yet another story!), whereas I won't. I am very loving about it, not mean at all, but I send her to the potty herself, just say that there is no more water for tonight and decline to read any more stories because it's time for night-night.

In other words (as much I hate to say something like this), it sounds like someone has been allowing this to continue longer than it should have. I agree that she needs to learn you mean business, but I also think she needs to (and can!) learn to moderate her crying if that's what she's going to do. Loud, obnoxious crying just to prove a point is something that drives me up the wall. Our daughter periodically tries it, but is learning that it will not be accepted.

Best wishes.

Is it possible they are not getting enough activity throughout the day, so they just aren't tired?? Have you considered putting them into a preschool program so they will be more active. If they are active enough and still giving you a difficult time I would say you are going to stick to your guns and not respond to the constant requests to come in. I know you are a school teacher, and I am sure you are tired at the end of the day, but not to be rude that doesn't mean you should not discipline your own children. We are all tired from our lives and being tired just isn't an excuse, if your girls are playing you then you need to deal with it. I would do my normal ritual at night and then say, does anyone need water, do you have anything else you need me for because once I leave I am not coming back in, and stay firm. What time are they napping? It should be early like 12 and no later at their age, if you would like them to go to bed early. If children are not ready to sleep then you really can't force them, it sounds to me like they just aren't tired enough. My preschool classes nap at 12 and are up by 1:30 so I would ask your mother in law to make sure they are napping early, and maybe not longer then an hour. I also would check into a preschool program so they can keep active, or some other physical activities. Good luck!

A few thoughts/suggestions:
•Are they getting OUTSIDE crazy play time every single day?
•Do you stick to a strict bedtime routine (bath, snack, books, prayers, sleep) so that they get the "cues" that bedtime is imminent?
•Are they napping too close to dinnertime? They shouldn't be sleeping past 3:30-4:00ish.
•If you know they are warm, not hungry and have water, leave the room and tell them you will see them in the morning. Then ignore the requests.
• 3 year olds should not be going to bed with juice, water only!
Good luck!

I have twins too, but luckily mine have been good sleepers since 3 1/2 months. We are VERY strict at bedtime, as this is the only down time we have all day (we both work too). They are on almost exactly the same schedule as yours, although they are almost 5--daycare doesn't seem to want to give up the nap. I don't mind if they whisper to each other or even look at a book after bedtime, but they know that they are NOT to get out of bed, unless they have to pee. If they do get out of bed more than once, it usually means a spanking. You have to be really firm, when you say you're not coming back in, you've got to mean it, or they will push buttons! My one daughter occasionally will come downstairs because she's afraid of something, and then we'll hold her for about 5 minutes or so before putting her back in bed--usually just an attention thing. And definitely cut out the drinking before bedtime, because it will come back to bite you in the butt during night-time potty training! We usually say no more to drink after dinner, except for a sip of water at bedtime.

Some children need help "settling down". That is probably why they were such bad sleepers since they had trouble self-soothing. I am not a fan of fighting children's innate biology, personally. You may want to make the nap shorter or let them nap earlier. My son dropped his name at 2 1/2 because it would take sometimes almost an hour to fall asleep. I would just keep a consistant bedtime routine and just cuddle with them until they fall asleep. I do that with my son and have since he was born. He is a great sleeper. Screaming before bed is not my idea of a nice way to fall alseep. Do both girls do this? Can your husband stay with one and you with the other?

I have 5 yo twins and what we do (did when they were little) was have a very set routine so that they know what is about to happen and start calming themselves down.

After potty and brushing of teeth we read a book, then dimmed the lights and listened to a song on the CD player (we have a rocking chair, but sometimes my hubby would just sit in between the beds) and then lights out. they do talk a ton but eventually fall asleep.

i would suggests putting the to bed at 7:30, that way they can chat a bit before going to bed and not have ti affect their sleep as much I would also (if I read your post correctly) cut out any juice you're giving them... it's filled w/ sugar and that isn't the best before bed. It also gives them something to 'play/ distract' themselves with. I'd keep it to just a blanket and stuffed animal. Music also really helped calm my girls down. And yes, three is TOUGH w/ twins!!

It is just their age and their resistance to settle down. Keep your routine and yes they might shed some tears but don't give in to their demands. If bedtime is at 8:30 lights out and that's it. My older two still pull all the stunts if they don't feel they need to go to bed.