To make my 3 yr old go to bed in this heat?

[BitBehind]

Last few nights been putting my 3 yr old to bed at normal time - 7pm. Usually takes me 10 minutes. Last few nights it's taken me over an hour - 90mins?

DH says I should just let him watch telly until his rooms cools. If that ever happens. Its currently over 30 degrees. 3 year old trying to sleep on floor, getting upset, he's just so uncomfortable

Am I a mean mum? DH said I'm obsessed with routine and need to let it go.

?

Why is he trying to sleep on the floor?
YABU for letting him watch telly before bed, he’s 3, blue light from screens interferes with sleep patterns, I thought everyone knew that.

What is he likely to be like tomorrow if he goes to bed late and what do you have planned for tomorrow?

DD needs her sleep, she will not sleep late no matter what time she goes to bed, she is magically programmed to wake up at 5.30am and has never woken up later than that. She is also a mardy nightmare if she's tired.

So she went up at 7.30pm like normal and was left at 8pm to go to sleep. Her windows are open, she has an ice pack wrapped in a towel to cool her down, she had a tepid bath before bed and is wearing very lightweight flown pjs.

i probably wouldn’t do TV but if he isn’t settling in bed (understandable) I would pause the normal routine for a bit and wait until he is really sleepy to try

I kept baby up longer. Her rooms was just too hot and I wanted to stretch her out a bit so she would be tired enough to fall asleep despite the heat, it also gave more time to cool her room down.

If you are fixating on a set bedtime just for the sake of a routine then you are being a little unreasonable. If you feel like your child is tired and needs bed then that’s different.

To add, I wouldn’t ever spend 90 minutes trying to put her down. I would have brought her into the living room after about 15 minutes and kept her up a while before trying again later.

Do you live in a flat or house?

If it's too hot we all sleep in the blowup bed in the living room downstairs because it's cooler

Do you have somewhere else he can sleep? 3yo room here is 30 degrees too, so she’s downstairs in the sitting room on the sofa bed with me. Much cooler. Still a tricky bedtime but they all are lately so not blaming the heat.

Because its cooler on the floor I guess. I don't know. He keeps saying "no like bed" and getting up and trying to put his face on the floor.

I usually let him watch a bit of night garden before bed. But good point about the blue lights keep him awake. Thanks for reminding me in such a warm and supportive tone. 💖

Our three year old is still up playing. Can't settle as is too hot. Going to try again soon. He is fairly jolly though

I agree with your DH, you are being unreasonable towards your child and making an unpleasant time for your family for no reason.

It is really hot. Humans do not enjoy sleeping in the heat.

We've f*cked the environment they'll inherit. The weather will be closer to normal tomorrow. The least you can do is be slightly flexible on a night this horrible.

We're calling it 'Ozzie Christmas' in honour of cousins in Melbourne, did baths in the paddling pool on the downstairs floor and have set up a bed where it's coolest. We'll carry kids up when their rooms are cool enough for a chance of sleep.

Hi op I've been letting my 2 year old up later and watching a bit of TV. It's far to warm for them at the minute, hopefully will calm down soon and get cooler x

I am a sucker for routine as i think its best for our DS.

If you child is trying to sleep on the floor, make him a bed up on the floor and let him. He will be too hot maybe so cooler on the floor.

In no way would i let our 3 year old watch TV before bed, its not fair IMO as in most cases it doesnt help them sleep.
Read to them in their room while they lay on the floor.

Do people think a 3yo can tell the time accurately? Even with an older kid I would just change the clock and put them to bed when it cooled down. Then the next day revert to the normal timings.

What do people think will happen if their kid goes to bed an hour or two later???

What do people think will happen if their kid goes to bed an hour or two later???
They turn into gremlins

My 3 year old is in my bed because my room is cooler.

Yes to the gremlins part. Our 3.5 year old turns into a shrieking, unreasonable ball of fury if she has a late night. Never sleeps in, even after weeks on holiday of late nights, her body clock just can’t adjust.

DD2 is so far much calmer about delayed bedtimes. Think it’s just luck of the draw.