toddler kicking duvet off and screaming

[Momino]

i know it's an attention-getting thing but dd1 has started to kick off her duvet (who sleeps with a duvet in this heat?) and yell until i or DH come to her rescue to tuck her back in tightly. i know she's just stalling sleep so try to hold back going in until she's become hysterical and turned volume up to 11. amazingly, dd2 -bless her- remained asleep in the cot in the same room whilst dd1 had a meltdown. i went in, hissed 'stop yelling, you'll wake up your baby sister', tugged off theduvet, put dd1 in a sleeping bag (in this heat) and said she should go straight to sleep. This happened five times. five. and amazingly, baby sis didn't wake up.

Anyone have any good ideas to stop this yelling for attention at bedtime? I'd love to let her yell but don't want her to wake up our 8 month old.

[avenanap]

Ditch the duvet and give her a thin blanket or a sheet instead. It's attention seeking, let her scream away and move baby into another room until she learns this doesn't work. Have a set routine (bath, milk, toothbrush, bed, story, sleep) so she knows what to expect next.

[onwardandupward]

Be with her while she falls asleep so she doesn't have to cry to get comfort and reassurance? It'll pass, soon she'll be dropping off happily alone, and that stage will be reached more quickly if you provide all the security she needs IMO.

Falling asleep ought to be a lovely thing, not something a child fears because of being more alone than they are comfortable with yet.

[Momino]

belated thanks for these ideas. i tried the staying with her for a bit and that did seem to help but then baby started screaming so I had to tend to her. I just may move baby into another room until she settles better.

[NoNickname]

Have you tried a reward chart? My ds is a PITA at bedtime and keeps calling down to us asking random questions about his day, or what we're having for dinner! I set up a reward chart and he gets to move up if he has gone to bed nicely at night, but if he does something that we have warned him not to do, it goes down. When he gets to the top, he gets a treat - usually something I don't otherwise let him have, like a lollipop or some chocolate.

I got my chart from www.upanddowncharts.co.uk/ It's magnetic, so it sticks to the fridge, and it was only a fiver plus P&P.