Three year old bedtime battles

[Allegrogirl]

My DD1 is 3.6 and very tiring. She's good natured, friendly and kind but also energetic, willful and stubborn. Never a good day time sleeper, hasn't slept at all during the day for a year but we could always rely on her going to bed at night without a fight.

For the last couple of weeks she has finally discovered she can leave her room once she has been settled, I'm amazed it took her so long really. She was settling after one or two escapes but the last couple of nights she's not giving in.

Last night I tried the Supernanny rapid return about 25 times which she thought was hilarious. She was doing a very good impression of my stern face. Every time she escaped she would lie face down on the floor like a passive protester. I gave up as my back was starting to hurt. I tried threats of toy/DVD confiscation to which I got big smile and 'I don't mind mummy, I'll help you put all my toys in the cupboard' (under the stairs where confiscated items go). I threatened her with canceling our day out with my DB and his GF tomorrow and bingo, it worked.

It's not working tonight. I've shut the stair gate and she's calling to me down the stairs. Pretending to be Rapunzel in her tower asking to be rescued. I wouldn't mind if she wasn't such a stroppy whinging nightmare when she's tired.

Has anyone got a strategy for dealing with this??

Had to reply cos reading that made me laugh, she sounds adorable only advice I can give is try to tire her out as much as possible in the afternoon and let her have mad half hour before bedtime to burn off as much energy as possible, and keep doing the supernanny routine cos she'll get tired of it eventually, good luck :-)

Hi buffy. She us adorable but such hard work! Still supernannying but DH has taken over as I'm knackered. She's just wet the bed on purpose and I'm close to losing my temper.

Believe me I do try and tire her out. She was at preschool playing outside all day until 5.30 today. She has bags of energy and runs around like a loon. She is exhausted now but too stubborn to give in.

It's a real shame this has started as the GPs were going to have her over on Saturday night. She thinks I'm bluffing when I say she can't go if she's behaving like this.

No don't use GPs as punishment cos then you will lose a well deserved night off!!! I can remember my daughter going through phases like this, and it will pass although I know how frustrating it is! It sounds like you are doing all the right things, I would just stick to your guns and hopefully in a few days things will settle down again. Another idea is a reward chart, for every night that she goes to bed like a good girl and stays in bed she will get a sticker/star and when she has got say 5 stars she will get a special treat. I know you are at the end of your tether with it but they grow up soooo quickly I wish my little girl (now 15) was 3 again :-))))

Thanks buffy. She's finally asleep and it's time for . I'm sure it will settle down if we're consistent. It's just I need this time to tidy up and wind down before and early night as I'll be up with DD2 in the early hours.

The GPs thing isn't a punishment as such. I just don't think it's fair on them if she's going to muck about.

God only knows how I will cope with two teenagers.

Oh meant to say if she does go to GPs she will be an angel anyway, they will look at you as if you are mad and say 'I don't know what you mean she's been good as gold for us' and you will scream inside lol!!!!

I was just wondering if this has been sorted, Allegrogirl? Only my DD1 is 3.5 and for the last 3 months has been an absolute nightmare at bedtime - very similar to your little girl. She shares a bedroom with DD2 (2.3) and I also have DD3 (5 months). I believe the new baby may have set off her bedtime 'regression', and she started nursery 2 months ago too which was another major change. My husband and I are at the end of our tether. Our current strategy is to hold the bedroom door until she's asleep, but some evenings this can take up to two hours and it's certainly not something we want to do long term. I don't want to put a stair gate in the doorway as she may be coming out of nappies at nighttime soon. We tried the Supernanny technique at first but just like your daughter she found the whole thing hilarious. Plus it was EXHAUSTING.

What did you do in the end??? We need advice!!

Thanks.

I never ever did anything like that.....[hmmm].......worked though

Complete ignoring I think - isn't she doing it for attention so if she doesn't get any it may stop? Make sure she is safe and can't get out?

I like your plan chunkythighs!