My Son Refuses to Sleep 1-2 Nights Every 1-2 months....anyone Else?

You might be making it too interesting staying awake. Tea has caffeine, and food gives him the energy and then his tummy is busy digesting it. Maybe it's something he is getting for dinner that keeps him up. You have probably heard about some people who have extreme dreams after eating spicy foods. Some foods are like a time release capsule of energy and he may be one who is sensitive to that. Or maybe his naptime was too late or too long but you just didn't notice, and now he knows you will entertain him late nights. I guess you could just put him to bed and say that's it. If he has no audience and nothing else to do maybe he will just go to sleep. Be glad it's only now and then, and not every night.

You definitely do not want to give him peanut butter - that is a burst of energy just waiting to happen. When he does this do not feed him, play with him, make sure the lights are off and no noise. Only water and maybe some smooth jazz in the background. Not sure why he does this, at least it is only a couple of nights at a time. Good luck!

**To your So what happened - why did you ask for advice if you didn't want the responses? The information YOU provided led us to the responses we gave you.

"I'm asking because it's a quarter to 12 and he's sitting at his table eating a PB sandwich." - this statement says it all!!!! Changing what your are feeding him in the middle of the night is a very reasonable response to YOUR statement.

I guess you literally only wanted to hear from those that have gone through this. Pardon us for being the idiots!!!!!

It's possible during those times that he's having growth spurts or teething pain, absolutely. Especially growth spurts since you wrote this in the middle of the night and he was eating a sandwich. That screams "growth spurt alert!"

EDIT: For what it's worth, I believe you're doing the right thing already. You're not spoiling him and he's not doing it for attention. You're spot on correct in what you're doing and you're a great mom.

We keep a few non electric toys and books in my sons crib. I just tell him, if you're not tired you can play in your crib, but mommy and daddy need to go night-night. He'll usually play for awhile and then go to sleep. Some nights he cries. I usually check on him every 15-20 minutes to make sure he's ok and didn't poop on those nights. (There have been a couple of times that he's had really bad diapers on the nights he wont sleep, but as soon as he goe as and we change his diaper he's out. )

Do you notice this more on days when his afternoon nap is a little shorter? I second the thought that my preschooler and toddler struggle with bedtime much more on exciting/big days and especially after they have missed or gotten a shorter naptime.

Why is he allowed to get out of his bed at midnight to eat a sandwhich? I think you need to stick with your routine and leave him in his room to sleep, even if he screams his head off. He's doing it because he's getting lots of attention and play time out of you

Try painkiller (children's ibuprofen worked for my kids) on one of those nights and see if it is perhaps pain that is causing the restlessness. Teething pain for molars happens for a long time before molars show and can be so non specific that they just sort of get cranky.

I would also try to make the routine those sleepless nights more something in his bedroom. Better yet, leave him alone and let him figure out what works for him in a safe bedroom. Do not go to him, unless he really needs you. Getting up with mom or just mom showing up may indeed be too much fun. Quiet play in bed or listening to some quiet music. We bought a tape of nature sounds that my daughter likes on Amazon.com, or quiet classical or Japanese lilting flute music - Jean Pierre Rampal has a great CD.

Good luck. Sleep deprivation is in my opinion one of the most difficult parts of parenthood.

IME, my son did/does this when he is ridiculously over-tired. Is there any pattern of it happening with "big" days or especially "long" days?

Wow. I'm amazed at how critical some of these moms are. Geez. If I thought my kid was hungry and it would help him sleep, I would give feed him at midnight or 2 a.m. Let him scream his head off? Really? Who does this to a CHILD? I think you've got very good instincts, and are correct that it is probably a growth spurt or teething.... or a big day....or could be anything. Kids are wildly unpredictable but rarely are they so attention-seeking that they can ward off sleep for an extra 6-7 hours. It's nice to know you are there for him when he is struggling to sleep. I say do what your doing and hope he grows out of it. You could offer a pain reliever if you think its teeth related. Sometimes when my guys are struggling to sleep I will massage their legs, feet, backside and shoulders. Sometimes it helps them relax their tired little muscles after a long, busy day. Now if only I could find someone to rub my tired old legs......Good luck!