Hello all, I’m a first time poster but long time reader.
I’m after some advice, my 18 month old son is an amazing, happy and lively boy. He’s full of beans from the instant he wakes at 5:30 am.
Since pretty much day one he has always had problems going to sleep. He sleeps quite well once he is actually asleep but the process of actually getting him to sleep either at night or for an afternoon nap can take hours.
We take him up to bed about 7pm and that’s when the fun starts. He goes completely hyperactive, charging around his room and shouting and laughing. He cannot seem to wind down, quite the opposite he becomes manic. He’s very lively all day long, running around and playing so you would think he would be worn out but far from it.
The only way we have been able to get him to sleep is to physically hold him still at which point he becomes hysterical, crying and thrashing about for up to an hour before going to sleep. I feel dreadful doing it but if I don’t he will be awake until past 10pm when he will literally collapse from exhaustion.
We have tried having a book, bath etc routine but the he loves the bath and splashes about like mad and wakes himself right up.
We have tried leaving him in his cot and letting him cry but he becomes so upset that he will physically injure himself if left for more than a minute or two.
The cot is now out of the question as he’s able to get out now so he’s on a bed.
I’m at a bit of a loss of how to improve the situation. He’s brilliant the rest of the time. He’s clever, talks, hes very tall, strong and physically advanced for his age. He hit all his milestones early. He can concentrate on complex toys, is very sociable and in every other way is doing really well.
He will sometimes fall alsleep by himself in the car after about 40 mins of driving but that is the only way he will go to sleep.
Does anyone have any ideas on how I can help him have a less distressing bed time and nap time? Have any of you had this? It’s pretty much a 2 hour hysterical tantrum every night or nap time now and it’s getting worse not better. My mrs and I take it in turns each night to get him to bed as it’s so distressing.