Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Behaviour/development

Talk to others about child development and behaviour stages here. You can find more information on our development calendar.

Flip

1 2 3

Original poster

my finger's stuck in my dolly's dummy; my duvet's too slippery; my water tastes hairy; why haven't we got a mirror in our bedroom; the wardrobe door isn;t shut properly...

68 replies

thewomanwhothoughtshewasahat · 01/08/2006 20:34

..can someone PLEASE tell me how to deal with this. It drives me nuts. I end up feeling horrid and angry. It ruins bedtime. What can I do to get her to understand that when I leave the bedroom it's OVER, the day is done, it's time to sleep (or at least be quiet), that pretty much only vomit is the only thing I need to know about...

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

VeniVidiVickiQV · 01/08/2006 21:03

AUBINA · 02/08/2006 08:35

I'm so glad to hear others go through this. We have in phases, at the moment we're just back from holiday and they're tired. Last night I put both to bed at their seperate bedtimes and there wasn't a peep, bliss!

Mine are girls of 8 and 6. They favour the somethings hurting/ itching tack. I have asked them why it wasn't hurting/itching 5 minutes ago when I tucked them in but they don't seem to have an answer for that!

I try not to get annoyed but sometimes when you're tired it is the last straw. Then I feel like a bad mother, I don't want the last thing I say to them to be something cross.

The bottom line is they want to stay up and be with you and you want some time to yourself.

All you can do is stick to a rigid routine so they know exactly whats going to happen and in the end they will understand.

bin · 02/08/2006 08:49

Cheers Californifrau!

bin · 02/08/2006 08:52

Sorry back to the point... sorry worn the t-shirt out several times tried everything promises, threats, ignoring paying dd2 in front of dd1 for putting up with dd1 disturbing bedtime nothing has worked so far was hoping to find something that would work for us.

FlameSparrow · 02/08/2006 08:56

Mine is better if I put her up there, do bedtime, and tell her that she can play for an hour if she'd like. She plays, then normally puts herself to bed before the hour is up.

With the exception of "I need a wee" (shut behind stairgate) or "I be sick", anything else is ignored.

blueshoes · 02/08/2006 08:59

Dd 2.10 started doing this. It took up to 1-2 hours to get her down to sleep for all the stalling tactics, even with us lying there with her on the bed.

We pushed her bedtime back by 1 hour, and she goes down without too much fuss now. hatwoman, could it be that your dd is beginning to need less sleep?

throckenholt · 02/08/2006 09:05

ds - just five - is another master at this. Recently I have started telling him bedtime is bedtime - you don;t have to go to sleep but you do have to stay in your room - only reason for coming out is to go to the loo.

I hope it works soon

speedymama · 02/08/2006 09:18

DT2 (21/2 yo) started to do this in his cot a couple of weeks ago. He started crying "Mum-meeee, Dad-deee, Argheeeee". I went in, told him to be quiet, that it was bedtime and to go to sleep. He tried it on twice that night, once the following night, no problems since. To be fair, it might have been because of the heat because that is the first time it has ever happened.

I think the key is not to engage in any conversation, deliver your edict with authority and firmness so they know you mean business, close the door and ignore.

edam · 02/08/2006 09:33

Ds is also one for delaying tactics. Last night went through several and finally demanded 'my foot pump'! The foot pump for his space hopper, FGS, that dh had left in his room. Put my foot down on that one, cue sobbing like his heart would break.

I can sooooo sympathise with the ruining bedtime and leaving me feeling like horrid mummy stuff. Must be firmer.

Sparkler1 · 02/08/2006 09:36

When my dds do this to me, I just keep telling myself it won't last for ever and I try and make light of the situation. I shall probably miss these precious moments like mad when they are teenagers.

Northerner · 02/08/2006 09:38

Oh yes my ds 4.4 trys this but I just ignore and leave the room, dh however gets suckered in.

Micky Mouse is looking at me
I'm thirsty
Need a wee
Where's Mummy
1 more story just 1 more
I need a hug
I'm scared of my Pirate Ship
My bed's not comfy anymore

Dh falls for them all..........

wilbur · 02/08/2006 09:42

Sorry, no suggestions to add to the good advice here, but pmsl at "my water tastes hairy". Your dd sounds v creative, at least...

aviatrix · 02/08/2006 10:03

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

Original poster

thewomanwhothoughtshewasahat · 02/08/2006 10:50

good entertainment value here - pmsl at edam's ds for wanting his space hopper; and at northerner's ds' fear of his pirate ship. awwww bless (yeah, right). tbh the holidays have been a bit better - they've often had a big day out; they are being told they can read or play with something as we're not too concerned about when exactly they fall asleep. I think what I might do is institute a time for "lights out" and tell them it gets earlier for every call. slight problem with that is they share a room, and that would usually entail being a bit harsh on dd1 who's generally very good. I guess I could offer her some form of compensation.

OP posts:

bundle · 02/08/2006 10:54

do not engage in this v entertaining bedtime-delaying tactic, because that's what she wants

I'm a big fan of rapid return, and "goodnight darling, sweet dreams"

northerner lol @ "mickey mouse is looking at me"

edam · 02/08/2006 11:05

the space hopper I could have understood. But the flipping foot pump to blow it up?!

Original poster

thewomanwhothoughtshewasahat · 02/08/2006 11:17

I misread it Edam! I thought he wanted to take the spacehopper to bed with him. but yes, I can see that the foot pump is pushing the bounds of acceptable bed-time activities!

OP posts:

Northerner · 02/08/2006 11:23

We have to evict Mickey Mouse every night, cause no matter where we position him he is apparantly always looking at ds!

bundle · 02/08/2006 11:25

northerner: I say, poke him in the eye

Cappucino · 02/08/2006 11:27

dd still tries this at 5 in the morning

'what are we doing tomorrow'
'I want some socks on'
'I'm scared of my wardrobe'

Northerner · 02/08/2006 11:29

just remembered when he was about 3 he came up with the best line ever to get me to go upstairs

"Mummy, my eyes have fallen out"

LOL.

Clary · 02/08/2006 11:33

sorry but lol at "my water tastes hairy" and "Mickey Mouse is lookign at me".
We don't really have a prob with this, I think mine are soooo exhausted by bedtime.
Hah! a boy thing that? run them around for exercise (I know cod agrees with me on this).
Maybe girls don't wear themselves out as they should? ( at old-fashioned gender sterotyping, but certainly my DD is the wakeful one in the clary household.)

Jaynerae · 02/08/2006 11:34

My DD is 2.10 - I have had this for a few weeks and eventually it got to the stage where I was trying to prempt what excuse was coming next - so I could do whatever action it required before I said good night! Ie. - I need a drink, I need my Rabbit - etc etc. List was getting endless. So we sat down my DD and I and drew up a list of the things she/we want to be part of our bedtime routing, ie. Bath, PJ's Drink, Story, Rabbit, cuddle, Kiss Lights down. We tick off on a chart each night when each thing is completed so she gets the idea when it is getting near to bed time and saying that final good night. I don't allow any other excuses - just say 'no, it's bedtime now goodnight'. And it has worked - took a few nights for the idea to sink in - but great now. Might be worth a try for some of you others.

Dottydot · 02/08/2006 11:42

We're all horrible and firm with our 4 year old ds - he used to insist we came upstairs when he needed a wee, but now he goes on his own and he knows that once we've put him to bed, that's it unless he's ill. I think what helped was that we put a little lamp by his bed and he's allowed to have that on and 'read' in bed when we say goodnight. Every night it's still on when we come to bed and there are books and toys scattered across his bed, but that's fine - he hasn't bothered us! I put them all away and turn the light out and he never wakes up.

bundle · 02/08/2006 11:50

dd1 and dd2 last night:

she bit me
I want that cat, why does she always have it?
I miss you
let's play (NOoooooooooooooo booms cross mummy)

dd2 didn't quite get the gist of Night, God bless..which has now transmogrified into Mango Bless

Flip

1 2 3