Please tell me this gets easier! Twins/sleep regression

[gemgemvirgo]

Posting for some solidarity after another sleepless night.

I have two year old twins, their Dad left when they were tiny and his contact is limited. I returned to work when they were 1. It was difficult but my saving Grace was that they were relatively good sleepers at night.

Since turning 2, it's all gone to pot. Last night they were screaming for bed at their usual time (6:30pm) and went down without a fuss. Then come 11pm, when I've finally managed to catch up on housework, have some dinner and get prepped for work ready to go to bed myself, they wake up and will not settle again until 3am... then waking at 5:30am ready to start the day!

They are due to start preschool in the new year and I'm wondering/hoping (!!) that this will help with burning some of their energy and also with them learning some discipline. We are going through a horrid stage at the moment where one twin is very dominant and will not share and is constantly snatching from the other. This always descends into chaos with them both screaming and wanting my full attention and physically fighting the other one for my focus. One twin is also constantly slapping me which I know is for a reaction.

I couldn't afford nursery fees so currently a family member looks after the twins so I can work FT, they do a great job but we all recognise the the twins need more stimulation. I dread taking them out by myself as most places don't cater for parents of multiples (trolleys etc) and both twins are a total flight risk and will run off/have a total meltdown and it's unbearable.

Please tell me this will get easier. I'm at breaking point.

Hi @gemgemvirgo I have 2.5 year old twin boys and feel your pain! I've recently had some outside support with them and one of the easiest and most effective tools I was given was to use a timer! So when the inevitable fight breaks out over toys or anything else I set the timer on my phone and when it beeps the toy is shared with the other twin. I didn't think it would work but I can honestly say it's been amazing! They even ask for me to put the timer on now as they are so conditioned to it 😂 I use it for anything that is going to cause a drama (which is most things in this house!) so turning the TV off, getting out of the bath and taking it in turns. I can't offer any help with sleep as thankfully mine sleep well but hopefully the timer tip will help and help you retain some sanity. Being a lone parent to twins with no family support is tough, you're doing an amazing job 💜

Are they still napping? Sometimes a night wake like that happens when they need to cut the day time nap.