I have twin boys that are just over 2 years old. I've seen lots of other moms of twins on this site, so I'm hoping I can get some advice.
One of the boys prefers to sleep a smaller amount at night (down 7:30pm, asleep by 8:00pm, and up around 6:00am), and take long naps. Around 2.5 to 3 hours, from 1:00pm to 3:45pm or so. And, the longer the nap -- the earlier he gets up in the morning.
The other is totally fighting his naps at this point. He goes down at 1:00pm, and sometimes takes over an hour to fall asleep. Some days he is not napping at all. If he naps, it ranges from an hour to an hour and a half (usually). He goes to bed at the same time as his brother, but is rudely awakened at the crack of dawn when his brother gets up. I really think he wants to sleep longer, but his brother wakes him up. I don't think he is getting enough sleep.
The boys share a room, always have. I'm not keen on seperating them. They are always together, and I think having the other one there at night brings them great comfort.
I am dead set on keeping them on the same schedule, but I just feel like it's not working. And, #2 is not getting enough sleep. I feel so bad for him!
Any suggestions? Should I try getting #1 up from his nap after 2 hours (wake him up), and see if he'll sleep later in the morning? Any ideas/suggestions would be welcomed.
Thanks so much for your advice everyone. You brought up some really good points. I think I need to re-evaulate my "need" to have them on the same schedule. And, consider seperating them if that's what they need to get their sleep.
I do have them in crib tents now, mainly because they are into everything, and our bedroom is on a different floor of the house. I don't feel safe with them roaming the house alone. So...it's hard for them to get up and go do something (i.e. play) without waking the other one up. But, maybe I need to reconsider that too!
Thanks again for your advice.
I'd keep them together and shorten the nap. Things will work out over time. You could put them both to bed later and see if they'll sleep later in the morning. I'm not a morning person so I always did that. Good luck!
I have 4 kids the last two are twins. You need to remember they are different (even if they look alike) and have different needs. Keeping them on the same schedule just may not work for your two little ones. You may try a quiet time with your one that doesn't want to nap anymore. He may end up sleeping if he is tired enough. Don't know what to tell you about your early riser waking up your other one. Mine both woke up at the same time and played together. You could try having him come in with you and reading together as a quiet activity that may let your other son sleep.
Good Luck
I don't have twins, but I do have 2 children - a 4yr old girl and a 6yr old boy. Looking back on how each of them slept at age 2 (or any age) they were completly different. My son napped until age 4 and has always been the early riser. My daughter stopped napping at age two and prefers to sleep in a little bit. Just because your sons are they same age, doesn't mean that they will or should have the same sleep patterns. Why won't you separate them? Is it lack of space or just preference.
Keeping things the way that they are, I guess I would have to agree with your suggestion of getting #1 up from his nap after 2hrs and see if that helps him sleep in the morning a bit longer. Also, you could work with him about getting up extra quiet in the morning for a little mommy and me time while his brother catches some more zzz's
I'm guessing your twins like much of the same things...but they are not the same. They are different and will have different needs. Normal. We have twins in our family that couldn't be more different. What I am saying is this - the same schedule may not work.
Hang in there.
S.
Just like adults some kids are morning people and some are not. I have triplets that are now 6 (2 boys and 1 girl). My daughter stopped taking naps at about 18 months. One of the boys was 50/50 on the naps and the other one liked his naps. Now the boys are up early and Isabella will sleep til 10:00/10:30 if I let her. She is also not keen on getting up for school in the morning either. I wish you all the luck in the world. I would have liked mine to stay on the schedule I had them on for longer but they had other ideas. BTW Isabella will also be put to bed at 8:30 with the boys and will not fall asleep til 10:00 at the earliest. Some nights it has been 1:00 am and yes with her staying in her room.
J. ~
I don't have twins, but my question is ~ if they were just brothers, not twins, would you make them stay on the same schedule? Each child has different sleep needs ... you've already noticed that. The rule should be when the first one wakes up, he comes to get you, quietly, not waking his brother. Maybe the other one doesn't need a nap as much as the 1st....maybe he can play quietly for a little while, and when he's tired he can lay down. I'm sure it's difficult with twins, and I know that as babies it's important for your sanity that they be on the same schedule, but as they get older they should be able to play and entertain themselves more.
good luck!
D.
Our twin boys (now 9) each have their own rooms but they prefer to sleep in the same room with the bunk beds. We do have a family rule, you do not wake up your brother when you get up. They should each be able to wake up when they are ready. Except for those darn school days.
I don't have twins, so I can't comment to that specifically, but my opinion is that you are right in letting them follow their own body clock as long as it makes sense. My three children have shared rooms at various times and in various combinations, and it was always strictly enforced that you do not wake up a sibling who is sleeping (2 is not to young to learn this). Whoever was first to wake up in the morning had to leave the room and find something quiet to do or there were age appropriate consequences. For naps, however, I did not go to great pains to keep quiet, because I would rather that they sleep at night (I figured if they were really tired they would sleep through most noise).
