Getting a 2 year old off to sleep at night

[mummymoo]

It's like someone flicked a switch in my ds when he turned two. He used to go to bed awake happily but suddenly started raging and threw himself out of his cot (in a grobag) when we left the room.

Have now moved him to a bed which has solved that problem, but I'm now feeling bad that I'm staying with him till he drops off. At the moment it seems easier to do that than keep putting him back in bed - I'm 6 months pregnant and shattered. Feel like I'm setting myself up for him not sleeping without one of us being there - anyone else had this? Any advice?

poor you

what does he do? does he get up or just lie in bed shouting/screaming?

I think thay go through phases. Iw ould try not to get into the habit of lying with him, but he might have just sensed there is a change a foot and wants a bit extra comfort. The light evenings dont help. My 2.5 year old keeps saying me go bed when dark!!!
He went through a phase of getting up so I had to be firm and tell him to stay there.After 2 nights he cottoned on!
Good luck

Hi, i posted on a similar thread earlier so sorry if i bore you with this!

But my dd never ever went to sleep on her own until she was two. I mastered it by doing the gradual withdraw sitting further and further away from her bed, eventually leaving the room completely. Of course straight away she got up to come out and i told her firmly to stay in her bed otherwise i'd have to shut the door. I did have to shut the door for the first few nights. I kept it shut for a couple of mins whilst she screamed and headbanged. Then i'd open it, cuddle her (to calm her down) and explain that if she stayed in her bed i wouldn't have to shut the door. After a few nights i only had to threaten and she'd stay in her bed. Now she loves bedtime and has no problems staying in her bed.

Until 2am but thats another story ..........

I'm just glad to have my evenings back!
HTH

I tried shutting the door once!!! the door handle stuck and I had to get the screwdriver out, trying to calm a 2 year old trapped at the other side!!!

LOL luckily dd's door didn't have a handle on when we moved in and we havn't got round to replacing it. I just hold it shut with the hole that is left!

For us - we put a stairgate on DD's door, and just have to leave her to cry it out. Not fun, but it seemed to work.

Now she has decided to go to bed with a megasketcher!!! It keeps her quiet while its still light out, and she falls asleep quietly when she's ready.

As I have said before they go through phases ds3 sometimes asks to go to bed..in winter anyway!!
Going to buy blackout blinds!

Thanks for all your advice - you were definitely all thinking what I was thinking.

Was brave (and knackered)last night and left the room whilst he was still awake. Stairgate was up and he followed me out then screamed at the gate before giving up and taking himself back off to bed. It worked! Thanks!