Why has DS sleeping suddenly changed so much?

[cece]

Ds has always been a good sleeper. Gone to bed no problems and often had to wake him in the morning for the school run. He is 2 and half at the end of April.

The past 3 weeks he has been really difficult to get to bed - crying and coming back downstairs. He says there is a witch in his room. Wants story after story. Says his bed is 'yucky'. Some nights it takes me up to 40 mins to get him to settle. It used to literally take 2 mins to put him to bed.

He is also now waking really early about 6 am if not before. Previously I used to usually have to wake him for about 7.30 or at weekends he would sleep till 8 am or even 9 am!

He still has an afternoon sleep but since the early waking he is taken to just falling asleep on the floor! Never doen this before either.

What do you think? Any suggestions?

anyone?

hummmmm i have never had this so im not sure this would work but maybe you could try cleaning his room (having a move around - asking for his input etc maybe paint it a different colour - anything to make it feel like his room that he has created) this is to try and get him to like his room and see that theres no way a witch is hiding in there - maybe a bit extreme but might work.

has anything changed in the last few weeks? even had a book read to him about witches etc?

then i would just put him to bed as you normally would have in the past, if he gets up just return him to his room in silence as many times as it takes - perhaps he's just pushing the boundaries?

not sure about the early waking i hope you get more answers soon from someone more experienced hth a bit.

Um there has been quite a lot going on lately. I'm sort of hoping getting back into a routine after the holidays will sort it out. He hasn't had an afternoon nap today.

1 - his gran did show him and dd a video with witches in so think this is the source of that
2 - I have been a bit off colour following a mc
3 - we are moving house in 2 weeks but like the idea of getting him to help decorate his new room. . Kind of hoping this will also help as it is just his bedroom that he has a problem with.

Will continue with the same routine and putting him back if he gets up!

Sorry to hear about your mc Cece.

I have no experience of this with my own as my DS is only 8 months (and a dreadful sleeper!), however when I was about 3 I was convinced that morph lived under my pillow. He was a sinister morph and I was terrified for a good year or so! I recall doing anything to get out of going to bed. Anyway, my mum started changing my pillowcase every night and that stopped it. So I would say that the advice of a spring clean and new look room would be good. Ideal if you're moving soon anyway. You can tell your DS that there is no chance of a witch being at the new place

My only idea about the early waking would be that the light mornings are affecting him? Do you have light stop blinds/curtains up?

Hello Cece

Have you got a black out blind in his room? Was thinking it could be the brighter mornings and evenings that could be the problem.

my ds had nightmares about dinosaurs so we found a book about them which told him what they eat mainly leaves (no mention of humans).
Perhaps you could find a book about witches (children enjoy reading about Meg she is a funny witch )this should put his mind as ease knowing they don't all turn people into frogs.
The room idea is great too putting a positive spin on moving house to get him looking forward with excitement.

Yes he does have black out curtains so it is not too light. I like the idea about finding books with friendly witches in them...