Need advice on controlled crying as such please

[Volkl]

DS is 2.5 had problem sleeping over the last year and has co-slept with us, however we moved him into another room (which he loves) and put a gate across the door. The first week he was ok, he'd wake but we'd console him and he'd go back off. However the last week he goes off ok but at about 2 will wake up and just not go back to sleep for a few hours, saying he cant or finding some reason to be awake eg I NEED to do painting.
We sit with him and he shuts his eyes dozing but then wakes again. I've tried staying in his room until he's very very asleep, i've tried standing by the door out of view so he can hear me but still wakes shouting/screaming for me.

DH thinks we should just leave him and he'll get bored, which to be fair he does sometimes get back into bed and shout/scream from there, but i cannot leave him for too long. I worry that maybe we are doing the wrong thing.. even though when he is shouting i will say from our bed, 'please go back to bed', 'calm down and lie down' etc. After 2 hours last night he gave in when he was lying in bed shouting for me and i'd ask him to quieten down and go to sleep.
I've tried a reward type of scenerio which in the day he thinks is a great idea, however at night says 'i dont want stickers/stars'

We dont know what else to try and this morning after 4 nights of this we are both exhausted.
Would it be ok just to leave him crying? Or is this going to have an adverse effect?
I'm totally stumped with this recent behaviour but will not back down and let him come back in with us.

[gagarin]

Is he shouting for you or sobbing? If he's sobbing then don't leave him - keep going in to comfort him. Night light? Is he cold? Often the covers get kicked off and the outside temp is at it's lowest at 2am. Put a vest on under his PJs and socks on him at bedtime - or a thicker duvet?

If he's lying in bed thinking up different ways to attract your attention - like "I'm hungry"; "I need a drink"; "I need to do painting" then IMO he is not distressed but bored and awake! In that case I would just put a story CD/tape on for him and head back to bed .

Is it linked to potty training? Does he wear a nappy at night? He could be waking up to go to the toilet and having to use his nappy instead which is not nice when you're ready for dry nights if a visit to the toilet was an option!

[Volkl]

shouting more than sobbing, rarely has tears. Has a nightlight on, has a new thicker duvet which he is totally tucked into.
I think he's bored and then wakes himself up by shouting me.

He's not potty training yet. (One thing at a time and he doesnt seem to be ready just yet)

Perhaps a CD story - thats a great idea, he has a 'music box' which goes on for 10 minutes and he'll happily dose with that until it stops.

[gagarin]

If there are rarely tears then I think you are prob on the right track with a CD that goes on for a while - just make it a nice story not a scary story!