Go The F*** To Sleep...

[BabCNesbittsSeasonalGreet]

DD (turned 3 in October) used to go to sleep reasonably well - there'd be some fussing and crying, but eventually she'd settle down. But in the last month or so, after we've read stories and she's had some water and used the potty, we'll tuck her in and say goodnight, but she just WILL NOT lie down and go to bloody sleep. "I'm thirsty", "I need the potty" (she wears a pull-up at night), "Where are you?", "I'm really thirsty!" [stamp, scream, etc]. Will just wail and wail about one or the other until one of us snaps and goes to give her more water/take her to the bathroom. I know that's counterproductive, but it feels bloody relentless.

Has anyone else dealt with this? Please tell me that it ends eventually?!

It feels bloody relentless because it is. We used to interrogate DD once she was in bed: Do you want some water / to go to the toilet / a different pillow / another teddy? We'd run through all the usual requests and warn her that this is her last chance. Then we would say good night and proceed to ignore her. It's tough, especially if they get out of bed, but it is a phase and it does pass. Hang in there.

Thanks, Lasting. We do agree to ignore her, but then (usually) DH cracks in order to get her to shut up - which she does, temporarily. I'm much better at being hard-nosed, which will probably be reflected in her future therapy sessions.

We put a safety gate on the DCs bedroom doors so they couldn't be up and down. We'd make sure they didn't want a drink/toilet etc. before we put them to bed and then we'd ignore any 'I need ...' Its tough to ignore them but its the only way. We had to shut the living room door as well which helped. It only took about a week I think to get them to stop the constant requests as they knew it would get them nowhere.

Its not nice and made us feel guilty for ignoring them but its the only way as each time you give in you then have to start again, and it takes longer to stop the constant requests as they know I they keep it up you'll crack.

Yeah, she does eventually shut up if we ignore her! We just need to be more determined to ignore, I think.

The ignoring does work & quite quickly we found. Our DD (also 3 in oct) did this a few months back. We'd run through the list of everything she might 'need', then tell her we love her very much but that we are not coming back in now no matter what. I think by the second night she only protested for a few mins before giving up. Before then bedtimes were getting into a ridiculously long drawn out affair taking over half hour to go to sleep. Now she settles within minutes although has started saying 'I don't know how to go to sleep mummy!'

Oh god, we've heard that one! As well as "I don't know how to breathe any more!"

I feel your pain. My DD who turned 3 in August is exactly the same. Every bedtime is an uphill battle. For those who ignore, how do you get around the problem of screaming for hours, waking their siblings and having the neighbours complain????

You need the above video in your life op!

mine started procrastinating and prolonging bedtime, begging for water/toilet etc when they realised there was interesting stuff going on downstairs that they thought they were missing out on.

Make sure TV is off when they go upstairs to bath, don't let them back down. Invest in a stair gate on their door. Once they are in bed, make sure they can't hear the TV or clattering dishes, your voices etc. and then ignore all pleas for more stories or water.

My children would do anything for a sticker....

Oh god we have exactly this at the moment.

I need a poo, a wee, whatever cuddly toy they want / don't want, more duvet, less duvet...tonight it was 'there are bumble bees in the room'.

Full on tantrum tonight for 90 minutes with blood curdling screams. I went to check on them (twins, 3.3) when it had all gone quiet and they were still awake and had the cheek to ask me what I was doing in their room and could I shut the door on the way out!

You have my sympathies