Warzone - my 2.5 year old won't go to bed at night.

[pithermum]

can anyone help. My toddler won't go to bed at night. we have a constant battle every night to get her to bed - for almost 2 hours. she is in a bed which probably doesn't help. She's very active and it makes no difference whether she sleeps in the day or not - it is wearing both my husband and I down.

[Elasticwoman]

Well, a routine helps. What is your current bedtime routine with dd?

[pithermum]

bath, milk with in the night garden or Thomas. Then up to bed. 3 stories, cuddly toys in bed. Everyother night there is a bath but it doesn't vay.

[tizzwhizz]

Hi
Dont know if this will help, my ds is 2.4. I have found with him he is definatly a boy that needs a strict bedtime routine and time. We do notice the difference if we dont stick to it. Especially over time to be honest. If we put him to bed later we either pay during the night or next day.
His routine is bath,milk bed with 3 stories. Same every night. I know people have thought I am a bit daft at times and will say things like he will adjust on things like holidays but he just gets beside himself.
Even my mum who had him to stay now acknowledges he needs that routine. She was skeptical before.
Dont know if this helps.

[bubblagirl]

hi i'm seeing a sleep therapist for my ds 2.5 and she says to read story no more than 10 mins

sit on floor with back to them and stay there untill they have fallen asleep no talking ignore bad behaviour if gets out of bed keep putting back in then sitting on floor agin but keep it calm

gradually you would begin to sit further away this could take few weeks depending on how dd settles my ds settles good now although wont stay in own bed through night so has a ready bed in our room

as he is speech delayed we will be working on speech before night time sleep as long as he isn't in our bed as have to get him used to not being with me

hope this helps another mn used it on her ds who had never slept in his own bed 3.6 and he slept through 2 nights running although i'm not that lucky lol for there age she advised to aim to get them asleep for 7.30pm

so i take my ds through to bed already set up for bed lamp on book on bed after night garden 6.50pm and he is always asleep by 7.15pm if not 8pm the latest but normally always 7.15

[LucyJones]

What do you do when she gets out of bed? We used to tell ds firmly it was bedtime and put him back to bed, 2nd time just lift him back to bed with no eye contact and just continue.
It takes a few nights but they do eventually get the message.
never let them downstairs.
We used to sit on the stairs and as soon as we heard the door go rush up, pck up, plonk back in.
They get tired of it soon enough.
Good luck

[bubblagirl]

if both of you are there to do the take back to bed routine you may find it'll be a quiocker fix but as my dp works away and does 20 hr shifts i was advised to do the withdrawel routine of sitting on floor as i was so tired all the time

but yes if you do the take back say first time bedtime second time bed and third time nothing you just keep taking back i found this was just too much for me to do alone so i'm sticking to floor at least he settles down ok and its no bother when he comes in later at least i get some me time lol

[bubblagirl]

forgot to say from 6 oclock we have wind down time no running around just gentle play and calmness to start getting him to unwind for bed night garden then bed