Why won't my DD aged 3 GO TO EFFING SLEEEEEEEEEP?!

[PavlovtheForgetfulCat]

She is currently smacking her milk bottle against the bedroom wall, which is our living room wall too.

I have lost the plot with regard to her sleeping, there is no order, she has no routine, despite us giving a routine.

I. have. had. enough.

I am going to take that bloody bottle and chuck it out of the window.

[Lifeinagoldfishbowl]

How old is she?

[fishie]

ds couldn't sleep either. dh says it is new moon and that is why bad dreams this week too.

[crokky]

my 3yo is watching a dvd

some of them just don't need that much sleep - my DS often does 10pm - 6am. I am knackered!

[PavlovtheForgetfulCat]

She is 3 and 3 weeks. Her sleep is a nightmare. She wont sleep, she wakes up early, she falls asleep in the afternoon and has to be woken up, but if it is in the car, like today, even a 5 min power nap boosts her.

When she was younger she did not need too much sleep, she only ever napped for 30-45 mins max in the day, and usually sleeps 8pm to 6:30-7am, but this refusal to sleep is now taking the absolute piss.

[PavlovtheForgetfulCat]

crokky - I would do the dvd thing, but we put on her fave chitty chitty bang bang in our bedroom and she decided to bounce on the bed, then root through drawers and boxes of books. If she settled it would not be so bad.

And we have done dvds before and it does not calm her or settle her and I don't want her to get used to it.

I was told once that just as you get used to a sleep pattern it will all go up in the air. No shit.

[Wallace]

Sounds just like ds2.

We get into a cycle where he needs to sleep in the day because he is so over tired. And then when he has had a nap he doesn't go to sleep until far too lete, but still wakes early. Therefore he hasn't had enough sleep, and falls asleep in the day...

[PavlovtheForgetfulCat]

Wallace

So how do you break it? I thought we had broken it last week, but then she started to wake at stupid o'clock. Yesterday, 9:30pm she was asleep in our bed, woke at 6:45am. The day before, 11pm, woke at 7am. This evening, she is I am hoping asleep now as the banging has stopped, but it is 9:20pm. I am pulling my hair out. Its not like there is a pattern, say 9pm - 7am every day, then we could manage, but its all over the place

[Wallace]

banging stopped here too... I will gather up courage to go and check in a minute.

He was up at 5.30 today, but fell asleep on the sofa at 12.30 and slept for three hours. I know I shouldn't have let him sleep so long but I have a rotten cold so I joined him asleep on the sofa. Anyway he is such a grump if I wake him up.

I think the only way the cyle can be broken is if he randomly sleeps late and then can get to bed at a reasonable time.

[Wallace]

Damn he is still awake

[PavlovtheForgetfulCat]

DD is asleep, otherwise she would be out now saying 'sorrreeeee mama, can't sleep'! Its exactly the same as you wallace!

We have surmised the reasons, not ill, perhaps growing, definitely going through a brain growth of some kind as her talking, imagination, understanding, comprehension of everything has gone a bit nuts, but would that throw her sleep out so badly?

If we refuse her a nap, she might go to bed at 7pm, after an afternoon of hell, and then wake at who knows what time.

5:30am is very early isn't? If DD slept for 3 hours (which I have done with her when I am exhausted, did it last week for 2.5 hours!) she will not even consider sleeping until minimum 11pm that evening, if we are lucky

[crokky]

I've just got my DS to sleep (he's 3.4)!!!! I am strict about him never sleeping in the day - even in the car because like you say a 5 min power nap can give them 2 or 3 hours extra energy! I keep the window open in the car, sometimes give him some food to eat as well - if he's got something to concentrate on, he won't go to sleep in the car.

[PavlovtheForgetfulCat]

crokky - oh i wish DD was like that! Food sends her to sleep if she is tired! yesterday, I distracted her at 2pm, I tickled her, annoyed her, opened the window, sang badly at her, everything, but once her eyes roll, there is no going back, and this was as we drove down our street. By the time DH parked and got her out, 5 mins, that was enough.

Today, DH mistimed, visiting a friend with DD while I was at work, and DD played with her playmate for hours, which wore her out. They did not drive back until 3:30pm and DH managed to keep her awake for the entire journey by playing singing games while driving, but then got stuck in traffic, and she went to sleep, after getting very very upset at him keeping her awake, just not possible for him to continue while driving. And again, 5 mins max sleep. When he took her out of the car, she pinched his face, and kicked him in the crown jewels . The only way we can keep her awake is to go nowhere near the car, and that is not always possible.

[PavlovtheForgetfulCat]

Now. Last time she went to sleep late, she woke up early.

This morning, she woke up at 7:45am. Not as long as I would have liked but perfect, especially as our builders who usually arrive at the time had not arrived by then so I was not in my dressing gown still!

I am hoping the later morning, will like you say wallace mean she is more able to miss a nap without the nightmare that goes with it and go to bed at a reasonable time.

Here is hoping !

[Wallace]

How is it going?

Ds2 woke at 6.30 this morning (very reasonable for him!) but had only had less than 9 hours sleep.

He hasnt napped and has been put to bed already- very overtied - but is still messing about a bit.