4 year old bedtime drama

[AIMD]

Bed times have become a nightmare with my 4 year old.I had been laying with her to sleep but it’s getting ridiculous now, taking up to 1:30-2hra for her to sleep and I just can’t do it. It’s impossible to do a decent bedtime with one parent and leaves no time for anything I need to do in the eve.

Any suggestions on ways to help a 4 year old sleep with less input?

Anything I used with my son doesn’t seem to work for her. She’s got a lot about her so will leave her room, bang on the door etc.

A few ideas you could try:

Reading one chapter of a book, then putting on an audio book.
Low level soothing music or talk radio station.
Bedtime cues, dinner, bath, pyjamas, one TV programme, teeth, book, bed.
Sleep cues, cuddly animal, pillow, duvet, nightlight, night night
Gradually leaving her to settle herself each night.
Leaving her to it.

@Emeeno1

A few ideas you could try:

Reading one chapter of a book, then putting on an audio book.
Low level soothing music or talk radio station.
Bedtime cues, dinner, bath, pyjamas, one TV programme, teeth, book, bed.
Sleep cues, cuddly animal, pillow, duvet, nightlight, night night
Gradually leaving her to settle herself each night.
Leaving her to it.

Thanks. Actually audio book is one that worked for her brother, but I hadn’t tried it with her. Everything else we do. It’s the leaving her bit I can’t manage. She screams, leaves her room and generally kicks up a massive fuss. She’s got a lot about her, which I love but it’s hard to get her to do things she doesn’t want to do.

Is she actually tired at the time you are putting her down? Annoying as it might be, you might just not have the timing quite right. My DD is 3, and has a fairly late bedtime for her age (8.30 during the holidays, 8 during term time if we’re lucky!). Despite what guidelines there are about averages, she only has 10.5 hours of overnight sleep in her, so putting her to bed before she’s ready just means a lot of faffing and the likelihood of her needing another wee or a drink.

You could try delaying her bedtime until around about the time she is currently falling asleep (as this will be what her body is currently used to) and then adjusting gradually by 15 minutes a week until you get to something reasonable?

@crazychemist

Is she actually tired at the time you are putting her down? Annoying as it might be, you might just not have the timing quite right. My DD is 3, and has a fairly late bedtime for her age (8.30 during the holidays, 8 during term time if we’re lucky!). Despite what guidelines there are about averages, she only has 10.5 hours of overnight sleep in her, so putting her to bed before she’s ready just means a lot of faffing and the likelihood of her needing another wee or a drink.

You could try delaying her bedtime until around about the time she is currently falling asleep (as this will be what her body is currently used to) and then adjusting gradually by 15 minutes a week until you get to something reasonable?

Hi thanks for replying. Unfortunately I’ve tried later bedtime it’s just still take the same amount of time for her to fall asleep no matter when she goes up. She’s awful if it’s too much later too.