Sleep training a 2 year 4 month old

[Lcw29]

When the school holidays start we are training my youngest who is 2 as he currently is a nightmare to get down at night. He gets up and just won't stay in bed. We are also going cold turkey on the dummy but any advice on the sleep training when he wants to get up and play would be great. We have a gate on the door. Do I just ignore him?

No, ignoring him is cruel, especially if you've taken away his dummy (IE his comfort).

It's not his fault that bedtime is the way it is - that's the set up you've provided, as his parents, so approaching this as discipline or punishment is unfair and unkind. You want to make it so that he feels confident and comfortable staying in bed, not so that he's too scared/exhausted to get up.

Not an expert but does he nap daytime? What time does he get up? Is he tired in the evening? What time he goes to sleep?

I am not a fan of sleep training, and personally thing a 2,4yo is past the time for sleep training (the crying kind of one).

I agree with pp, I would not take his comforting item away and then leave him to be unhappy and alone, but that's just me. Our one only goes down at 9pm and it's not ideal but I get to spend time with him even if I come home late some days, and he sleeps well at night and is happy so the slight inconvenience of him going to bed late is not such a big deal. He will grow up fast and not need me to sing with him anymore and I will miss it.

To be honest I think the dummy is the cause if some issues anyway. He wakes when he can't find it and whenever he gets snotty because of a cold or teeth he can't breathe properly with it in so wakes up. I've currently been up since 3:30 cos he wouldn't go down without being held.

He naps for 1hr 30 mins to 2hrs at about 10 am . It was later but he's so tired I can't keep him up longer.

If I were you, I'd take the dummy away cold turkey, and then support him to sleep as much as he needs - cuddles, hand hold etc. Then when he's comfortable sleeping without the dummy you can get him to sleep independently. How good is his understanding?

I'd take the dummy away first and then work on the sleep training later if still needed. My sons sleep went to pot when we took the dummy away a month ago. Only now is he occasionally able to settle himself to sleep at nighttime but most evenings one of us lay with him until he falls asleep (he's 1.5). His dummy is his comfort so to take away this and train at the same time is a lot.

Look at the 3 day nanny on utube. It's called the back to bed routine. If you stick to it it works

I think dummy first, sleep train later is definitely the way to go. I don't mind a few extra cuddles in the meantime. :)

I think he understands more than he can say. I can see it in his face. He's trying to talk alot more now too.

My oldest who shares a room with him is going to stay at his nans for a few days while we take the dummy away

I didn't mean to sound harsh. Think I'm just very tired lol

I think I'd go with the Supernanny method. First time he shouts go to his room, take his hand and say, "it's bedtime, darling", then tuck back in bed and leave.

Second time, say, "bedtime", and tuck him in again.

Any other times he gets up, say nothing. Just keep going and tucking him into bed. Don't reward him with communication, but at the same time give him reassurance that you're still there.

I've seen Supernanny with families who do this many many times the first night. Second and third nights aren't nearly so bad.