Sleep Deprived! - Chesterfield,MO

I know it is very hard to hear them cry. I also used the childproof lock on my son's door. He just got it taken off (he's 4). He cried for a while, but it was worth it in the end for everyone. Hang in there, good luck!

Have you ever seen Nanny 911???? Put the child back in his own bed and let him cry it out. Otherwise, you will be sleeping with your son for a loooonnngggg time.

Oh my goodness...does THIS bring back memories!!! First of all...I would try moving his bedtime back a bit later in the evening...I would shoot for 8 or 8:30 I it were me. Then...I would STOP letting him sleep in your bed...that is his aim each night...to end up with Momma and Daddy. Now this may mean a couple of sleepless nights for you...pick a long weekend and work on it.
My next stop would be at the public library to pick up a copy of "Solve Your Childs Sleep Problems" by Richard Ferber. I have recommended this book several times here on mamasource. I used this to help me solve a problem we were having with our youngest daughter years ago. I only wish I had known about the book with our first daughter...life would have been SO much simpler!!!
Have you ever watched Super Nanny on tv and seen how she deals with problem sleepers??? I think the main thing you will find from the book I suggested is to basically follow the pattern she uses. After you put him to bed...each time he crawls out of bed...calmly take him back to bed...no conversation...no eye contact...no interaction...just put him back into bed and leave the room.
Good luck...let us know how it turns out.
R. Ann

He obviously needs to re-learn to soothe himself to sleep. If you keep soothing him to sleep, he will always need you to do it - FOREVER. If I were you, I'd pull a "Super Nanny" on him and when he gets up, put him back, and when he gets up again, put him back, and again and again and again. It will be So Very Tough for the first night or two, but after that (giant hump) it will get easier and easier and easier. He will most likely cry a lot but that will just help him get tired (wear him out). Bless your heart. But the more you continue the bad habbit the longer it may take to break. Good Luck!

My son hardly slept at all at night when he was your little guy's age. He was already doing all the things you fear your son will do, and even worse.
I was terrified to go to sleep at night, because I never knew what he was going to do next. So, my husband made a sort of "half door" for his room. All he did was create a couple of simple "brackets" on each side of the doorway using a couple of nails. Then he used a wood board cut to fit the width of the doorway, but only about 3 1/2 feet high.
While he did this, I "baby-proofed" my son's room. Absolutely nothing he could get hurt on, all outlets had covers on them, and a little stool tall enough that he could reach the light switch, but not tall enough that he could climb over the half-door.
At bedtime, we went through our usual bedtime routine, then off went the lights, and we would slip the half door into it's place.
My son would sleep about two hours, then he would get up, turn on his light and play until he got sleepy again, then crawl into bed and sleep for awhile, and eventually repeat the cycle until morning.
By using the half door and baby-proofing his room, I could hear him if he had any problems or if he called to me, he didn't feel locked in, and we were able to get a little sleep at night even though he had such a short sleep cycle.
Eventually, when he was a little older I was able to train him to stay in bed using a piece of candy in the morning if he stayed in bed until mommy or daddy said he could get up. He loved that, and was willing to stay there all night in order to get that candy in the morning.
Of course the candy will only work if it is a real treat. Something your child rarely gets otherwise.
Once my son learned to stay in bed, we were able to get rid of the half door.
When he was in grade school, we learned that he had ADHD, and that most likely was the reason he slept for such short periods of time, yet slept often.
We were told we did the right thing for him.
I didn't need to be told that, though. My son was alive and safe and I was not nearly as sleep deprived, and eventually training paid off for him as he was able to sleep a few more hours at a time. To me, that sounds like I did the right thing !

I wish you well.
:o)

I would push the bedtime back a little, personally I think 7 p.m is a bit early for a 2 1/2 year old. I would try for 8:30 but starting at 8 to wind down.

He's learned if he screams loud enough and long enough, mom and dad will sleep with me. If he wakes up in the middle of the night: go in and say it's bed time and lay him back down, the 2nd time he gets up don't say anything just lay him back down. Do this till he stays down. It's going to be hard but stay firm.

In the morning you may tempted to let him sleep in since he woke up a lot, but don't. Get him up at his regular time, even if he's tired. This will keep him on a sleep schedule.

Maybe your little guy is just getting too much sleep, he could be in a growth spurt and not resting, many causes. But please don't lock him in his room, this can be dangerous. I know about little guys escaping, my son did it to me all the time and I couldn't sleep. One solution I found was a sensor on his door so when he went through the door, an alarm beeped so I knew he was up.

Good luck,
D.

My son is also 2 1/2 and we've been having sleep issues for awhile (but not nearly so tough as you've got it!!) and I've been working with Dr. Snyder at WSU who's studying these issues in small children. If you'd like more info, email me at ____@____.com!

The simplest basic thing I can tell you is, don't change your routine! That's what this issue is really about, the 2 yr. old power struggle! :} Keep bedtime and naptimes consistent. Set a schedule for when you'd like him to sleep (ha, ha!!) and then stick to it! Get him up at wake up time, even if he didn't nap. Stay calm, stick with it, and he'll sleep eventually!

I agree with the moms who've said don't let your son sleep with you or vice versa. The doctor told me the ages of 2-3 is all about SELF-regulation. They are making the transition from Mom and Dad doing everything for them, to learning to recognize their own cues (from sleeping to eating to pottying!). So you have to let him find his own way to sleep, while still setting limits. I also liked the half-door idea, as it keeps him safe but still in his room. So glad to know I'm not alone in this and please feel free to ask for more info!

Good Luck
~S.

I would put him to bed a little bit later. 7ish is a bit too early imo. Maybe make his naps short naps and somedays you may have to omit his naps altogether. He may also be going through a growth spurt.
As far as the steps go, I wouldn't worry about the steps. He's old enough now he should be able to go up and down with no problem. We have a 2 1/2 yo and he goes up and down w/ no problem and we have very steep stairs and alot of them. Play with him on the stairs and he'll get the hang of them. Good luck!!

Lots of great advice already posted. You might also try letting the child pick out a special "lovey" to take to bed. Sometimes that can help self-soothe them back to sleep.

We are dealing with the same thing. Our 15 month old is completely off schedule. Its exhausting. The Dr told me he was just teething. He hasn't ate much all weekend.

OMG I'm going through the same thing right now. My daughter is almost 2 and was also a great sleeper she went to bed at 6/6:30 and slept till 7 the next morning. Now she fights her naps and I have to rock her to sleep at night again. I feel you pain!!!!

We just went through the same thing with our little boy. Someone responded that you should keep your routine. I think that is good advice. We fought the middle of the night waking for about three or four months. We made the rule that if it was before 4 am we would walk him back to his room, sometimes we would have to lay down with him, sometimes we wouldn't. The good news is that it was just a phase. He turned three this week and is back to sleeping all night and I even have to wake him up in the morning. Hang in there!