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Behaviour/development

Please help sleep/monsters/toddler

11 replies

GoGoGoGo · 11/05/2016 20:26

Up until a few weeks ago 2.7 DD has self settled and been a great sleeper although coming in to our bed at 5ish and falling back to sleep till 6/7.

A few weeks ago she had a nightmare and was convinced there had been a monster in her room. Alongside this we realised she had a UTI so she has had antibiotics and is all clear.

Since this nightmare she has refused to be away from me, I can't be in another room or she screams and runs after me and she will not go to sleep unless I lay down with her. And I mean screams, shouting, saying she's scared and doesn't like any noises (we live in a flat so there are some noises from people walking around) gets herself in to a complete panic/meltdown.

I'm at the end of my teather. I miss my evenings/popping in to another room without being screamed at. Her behaviour is now also not good as she is so tired.

I have tried:

  • 'Monster Spray' to spray the room/ A 'gobble up monster toy' to keep her room safe.
  • A reward chart.
  • Rapid return (if I don't lay next to her she just keeps getting up and coming in to the lounge whilst becoming increasingly hysterical. She just didn't give up!
  • Promising her a reward in the morning
  • Slowly leaving her room
  • Laying down and explaining all the noises (I showed her a video of a baby in a jumperoo as she loves babies and there is one upstairs and said this was the noise, but tonight she just screamed that she was scared of the baby)
  • I even gave her the iPad tonight for some company Blush but she just said she didn't want it - usually a big treat.
  • Stopping her nap.


She goes along with the rewards when we speak about them in the day but will then scream saying she doesn't want them at night and just wants to lay with me. When she eventually goes to sleep she will still appear in our room by 12 at the latest.

I got cross with her tonight and feel awful. Sad

Any help greatly appreciated!
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GoGoGoGo · 11/05/2016 21:47

Bump.

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Newtobecomingamum · 12/05/2016 00:56

Hi, my little one again a great sleeper like yours had an episode of exactly this with monsters at exactly the same age!! My hubby and I, like you tried everything for about 3/4 days and the only thing that worked was being firm and insisting that there was no monsters, leaving the door open with light on in hallway and giving a reassuring cuddle and kiss and put to bed. He cried and screamed, so every 5/10 mins we went back to staircase did not speak to him and hugged him and put back to bed etc and kept repeating. First night took 40mins, second night 20mins. Third night went back to normal. To be honest looking back on it he was playing us after a while. He new the monster thing got him more attention, chance to be up later with mummy and daddy etc. We stopped fuelling that attention It stopped. You do have to be strict with it. There was a couple of tikes my hubby nearly caved and said oh lets just lie next him etc to get him to go off, but I new the minute we have in again he would expect that every night. Hope this has helped x

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Newtobecomingamum · 12/05/2016 00:56

Stair gate not staircase!

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Newtobecomingamum · 12/05/2016 00:57

That is against his bedroom door so that he can't get out

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GoGoGoGo · 12/05/2016 08:08

Thank you, we don't have a stair gate on her room...maybe time to invest.

Would he also say he was scared in the day?

I'm not sure if it's part separation anxiety or just playing me up?!

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Newtobecomingamum · 12/05/2016 08:59

Stairgate on bedroom door works wonders for us and we use to call it his special gate ( like his own garden hate etc ). Even now he says now and again mummy there's a monster in the day and say he's scared. I look at him and say there is no such thing as monsters and he laughs and I distract him. To start with I think he generally did have a bit of anxiety and when he saw the attention he got from it he then played on it! He even laughs at himself now trying to be cheeky.

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GoGoGoGo · 12/05/2016 09:00

Thank you! OK, I will try and be strong tonight!!

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Newtobecomingamum · 12/05/2016 09:34

It will take a few nights, you really do have to be strong. Give lots of cuddles, but no taking and put back to bed each time. Then leave another 5/10mins and let them cry it out and go and give cuddle and lay them back down. Best of luck! It's no nice when it goes back to normal!! You get your evenings back :)

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Newtobecomingamum · 12/05/2016 09:35

So nice... Blimming auto txt

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Newtobecomingamum · 12/05/2016 22:29

How did it go? x

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GoGoGoGo · 13/05/2016 07:09

Not great 😁 I just couldn't listen to her saying she was scared! Thank you for checking in though, I know I need to follow your advice.

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