2 year old will not stay in bed!

[Scoopmuckdizzy]

He's been in a bed for about a month in the same room as his 3yo brother. 3yo settles and goes to sleep straight away (as long as 2yo isn't bothering him) but for the past week or so my 2yo will not stay in bed and fall asleep. He was fine to begin with and I was so pleased with how he took to his bed straight away and slept really well.

I'm currently on the landing outside the bedroom door. For he past few nights I've been putting him back in bed when he gets out and leaving the room. It's constant though! I just wish I knew why he's only started this behaviour now when he was so good at first.

I did consider dropping his nap but he is so unreasonable come bedtime without a nap that I'm reluctant to! I think if this continues for much longer then the nap will definitely be dropped. Trouble is, he gets up just before 6am and usually has a nap at midday- if he doesn't sleep it's a hard job keeping him awake past 3-4pm and if we have to go anywhere in the car after that time I'm doomed!

It's a science. Too little sleep during the day makes him overtired and mischievous at bedtime, too much and he's just not tired. It's impossible to work out what the right amount of sleep is though as that will depend on how he slept the night before. I should spend these evenings devising the formula.

I ordered a book about a sleepy rabbit after a friend raved about it working on her girls. I am at a point where I'll try anything now.

I can't even look forward to a glass of wine for when he finally falls asleep

I have an almost 2.5yr old DS who used to go to bed fuss free up until about about a week before his new sister arrived 10 weeks ago.
He will continuously get out of bed and stand at his stair gate at his bedroom door calling out for my DH and me. He'll go on about it being too late to go to bed and how he's had a wee in his nappy and that he needs a plaster for his finger that he cut over a week ago...like a broken record!
Over the weeks we have tried all sorts of methods to get him to stay in bed and the most recent seems to be working.
When tucking him in I now bat off his excuses such as it being the exact right time for bed; not too early and not too late, I feel his nappy making a point that it's dry and will catch all wee wee in the night so he's all set and lastly I kiss his healing finger reassuring him it doesn't need a plaster. He seems happy enough all excuses for now are covered and stays in bed.

My son is sleeping. I'm celebrating with tea and cake. I'm in shock! Every night this week we've been spending up to 3 hours putting back to bed and I'd braced myself for another one of those.

I don't even care if tonight is a fluke. I'm just grateful to have an evening to relax with DH.

Yes enjoy your evening, even if it is an accident on his part! Hopefully he has decided sleeping is better than messing around..... Fingers crossed for you!