Toddler at bedtime

[spacegirl81]

My 2 year old has a structured, regular bedtime routine and has done since he was 8 weeks old. Why does it now take him soooooooo long to go to sleep?

He wakes at 7, naps for 1-2 hours at lunchtime, bath at 6:30, story's then bed at 7. He's still banging around in his cotbed now!

If he sleeps less in the day he's too tired in the afternoon and gets grumpy and overtired.

I wouldn't mind too much, but he disturbs my 9 month old in the next room to him

Any suggestions would be greatly received

Does he get outside at least once a day? Have you tried moving his bedtime to 15 mins later? At that age my DS loved a quick game of football between tea and his bath, I think the exercise and sunlight helps them to sleep

Yeah we do some form of activity everyday, and tend to have walk or go in the garden in the afternoon too. Will try slightly later and go in the garden after tea is well. Seems so hard to wear out little boys!!

Isn't it just

Hello have been having the same problem with my 20 month old little boy. V. Similar routine to yours, but used to run round playing before bed. I saw on Supernanny that sometimes they want more quality time with parents hence tantrum at bedtime. I work full time and found that a longer bedtime routine helpful to calm him down. Once we go upstairs we don't come down. After bath we do cuddling and stories in his room and walk round saying night to everyone and everything.he seems to be settling more quickly now.

Surely the amount of sleep you need changes over time, isn't he simply now making it clear that he's not ready for sleep at 7? Presumably eventually boredom or tiredness wins and he sleeps, but maybe 30 minutes more of properly being up and about will having him going to sleep quickly?

Olympicsrock we're the same, bath then to his room to get ready for bed with stories and milk. DH does bath and bedtime as he's at work and I'm on maternity leave still. It doesn't come downstairs to play after bath and no telly before bath time either.

We have tried pushing it back but it still takes him an age to settle.