I was really hoping to have sorted this out by Christmas but no luck. Youngest dd has always been a terrible sleeper, either not settling or not sleeping the whole night. Finally thought I had cracked it for about 8 months until she started school in Aug.
Since then she has been harder to settle at night which has progressed to being fearful of being left alone in a room by herself, even during the day sometimes. I have to admit that as a child I was especially afraid of the dark and this has tugged on my heartstrings i have therefore made an effort to sit longer at bedtime which I think might have made her worse.
She will now only settle if I sit with her til she is asleep whilst previously she was self settling. She does share a room with her older sister and I admit, that sometimes at the weekend I will let dd stay up a bit later so they go to bed together and she has someone with her.
I am on my own and it can be stressful sitting there til she falls asleep. This is coupled with an overwhelming clinginess which again, seems to have coincided with school. I worked so hard to establish a good bedtime routine but now I don't know what to do with her as she seems absolutely terrified.
I should add, it did take her a wee while to settle into school but is doing better which I had hoped would help. It hasnt and she just doesn't want me out of her sight.