those who use story CDs at bedtime for their toddler - come talk to me please?

[curlyLJ]

Having read quite a few threads in the last few days about hellish challenging toddler bedtimes, it seems that quite a few of you use story CDs to help your LO drop off.

Do these really work? They don't stimulate them into staying awake and listening to the entire thing? Do you just leave it playing to turn itself off at the end? How long are the CDs generally?

Presumably you keep the volume low and lights off?

I have also seen that some of you leave a book or 2 in the cot/bed for your LO to read alone, but surely that would involve leaving the light on? I think that would keep my DD awake - unless a nightlight would be enough??

Any advice greatly appreciated - especially if it stops the hour of to-ing and fro-ing to her room, rubbing her head, taking her for another wee, etc etc (you get the picture). If she would just lie down quietly, I'm sure she would drop off a lot quicker so- i can start on the wine--

How old is your DD? DS (now 4) has been a nightmare at bedtime since the moment he was born. For about the last year he's had a story cd and books by his bed. The volume is really low and we leave a lamp on for him. It still takes him ages to go to sleep sometimes, but that would happen anyway. When he's really tired he drops off quickly despite distraction of cd etc.

I long ago came to the conclusion that DS just needed less sleep than others - using cd's/books means that we're not up and down the stairs every 5 mins. He also gets out of bed sometimes and plays for a bit, but I don't go up when I hear this - he gets himself back to bed quick enough.

she's 2.4 and apart from a few odd spells, she's never been great at letting us leave her to it to drop off. She seems to come to life at bedtime!

Dd is two and she has had a CD on at bedtime for about three months and it does seem to help.she has it on low and let it run to the end and then sneak in and click it off. though do be careful that any music isn't too lively cos it does have the opposite effect.

thanks trikken I was thinking more of stories than music, but I guess even if those are quite lively it might also have the opposite effect.

What about when the CD comes to an end - the sudden stopping doesn't wake her up does it?

My dcs used to have a lovely <a class="break-all" href="http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=worthopedia.s3.amazonaws.com/images/thumbnails2/1/0107/07/1_69d97823be41d40273b6749d1f9d0921.jpg&imgrefurl=www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/vintage-mother-goose-lamp-story-1988-plays-tapes&usg=__1lwnVaZL0m6ic91bAxQD3RLoApw=&h=150&w=150&sz=5&hl=en&start=1&zoom=1&tbnid=J5P5j3Ambm7BVM:&tbnh=96&tbnw=96&ei=kRUJUM2XFcSh0QXkzMTiCg&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dmother%2Bgoose%2Bstory%2Bcassette%2Blamp%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DX%26rls%3Dcom.microsoft:en-US%26tbm%3Disch%26prmd%3Divns&itbs=1" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">mother goose lamp that had a cassette recorder, as the cassette finished the light slowly dimmed. It worked really well.
Not sure if there is anything equivelent nowadays.

Sometimes the story CD's can have music in them I think Trikken means.

Yes, dd's in the night garden one has music too but it isn't too jaunty that dd won't settle, we've learnt not to put bob the builder on though as it is too much for bedtime.

No it doesn't wake her when it stops which is good.

Can anyone recommend any good CDs then? Think DD has pretty much outgrown In the Night Garden (in favour of Peppa Pig) so that one probably wouldn't be the best for her...

It's worth trying the library for cd's before buying any. DS's favourite is a Thomas the tank engine cd. I'm sure there's a set of Julia Donaldson books on cd.

Winnie the pooh, Wind in the Willows are both favourites.

I second Winnie the pooh.

Dd like the Johnnie Morris animal stories, and The Giraffe, the Pelly and Me.

We mostly have some free ones that came in the Guardian a while ago - The owl who was afraid of the dark and some kipling stories. Quite often The Works has very cheap nice books with a CD included - Mog the Forgetful Cat, Click Clack Moo. We have The Bear Hunt on CD and the Lighthousekeeper stories too.

I have been using christiane kerr's 'bedtime meditations for children' with dd who is 2.3 for a few months now. She has always been a nightmare at bedtime! Although i still stay with her sitting by her bed she at least lies down, which she was refusing to do before. Its three very gentle meditative stories aimed at children probably a bit older than dd but she can grasp them. She is generally asleep by the end of the cd. It has a gentle musical background and is intended to help children fall asleep. I think they are lovely and would recommend - see reviews on amazon.

DD (2.10) and DS (nearly 6) both love the Night Pirates one. They also have the set of books/CDs of Winnie the Witch they both enjoy but unfortunately our CD player has just broken and we are back to being the neighbours from hell at bedtime again

You can download audiobooks from the library online (for free!) and play them on an IPOD dock or on your computer. They don't last forever but it's a cheap way to find a few favourites.

Thomas teh Tank engine is DS's favourite (2.6), he quite likes Bob The Builder too. Don't get the Owl Who Was Afraid of the Dark. It's a great story but there's some alarming shrieking in the middle that undoes all the good work.

BTW: HairyToed..you can also CDs on most computers and DVD players

My dd's love the Charlie and Lola audio cds.

I set the cd to repeat itself so that they aren't woken by it suddenly stopping. I just go in later and turn it off when I turn the lamp off.

Thanks for all the replies - have ordered a set of 3 story CDs off eBay. For some unknown reason I never think to go to the library - really need to join (we've only recently moved) and get down there as I am spending a fortune on books too!

Now all I need is a CD player...