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Sleep

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Original poster

how do you leave your toddler at night?

19 replies

prefernot · 08/09/2004 21:49

I was just wondering how other mums with young toddlers do the final putting to bed stages. I know we almost all do baths, stories, cuddles, milk etc. but when it gets to the point of putting them in the bed how do you do that bit? I'm asking because dd, 23 months, has never let me 'tuck her in' or even lie her down. She insists on standing in the cot as I leave and then when I've gone out and shut the door she just flops down (in a grobag) and goes to sleep (or occasionally calls me back a few times ). I'd kind of like to be able to tuck her in / lie her down etc. because I'm hoping to be able to get her a duvet and pillow for this winter and of course at some point she's going to need a bed and I can't go out leaving her standing on that! Do any other kids do this?

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Original poster

prefernot · 08/09/2004 21:59

Meant to say my dd is 23 months.

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Original poster

prefernot · 08/09/2004 21:59

Oh bloody hell, I did say that already. .

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Angeliz · 08/09/2004 22:03

My dd is 3.6.
I lie on the bed with her and read her a chapter from her third 'My naughty little sister book', (not too sure how wise that is as she'll be having new baby soon and probably expects it to be wicked!!! ).
We then ask each other what the favourite part of their day was and have kisses and cuddles, she then twiddles my hair and is asleep in minutes.
We (O.K, I !!), never got the hang of going to sleep on her own.

Original poster

prefernot · 08/09/2004 22:09

That sounds lovely to me. Dd's not in a bed yet though and may not be for a while yet. She has her story sitting on my knee though which is wonderful.

That sort of going to sleep Angeliz describes is what I dream of doing. But does anyone else have one like mine? And should I / could I change things?

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goodkate · 08/09/2004 22:09

My 1 yr dd does that but screaming at the same time. 30 seconds later she's asleep.

I don't use a grobag but put her in an all in one if its cold. Then before I go to bed I tuck her in putting her sheet and blanket on her.

Although by the morning she's kicked it all off again. In fact come to think of it all my dd's do that, must be hot blooded.

Hope that helps.

Angeliz · 08/09/2004 22:12

prefernot, it is lovely but as you say, if you have that quality time when she's snuggled on your knee then you both still get the closeness.
She sounds great to me.
Once she is in a big bed she might change to having her story lying down with you anyway, .........then chase you

KateandtheGirls · 08/09/2004 22:16

My little one's current routine is that we have a big hug and kiss and say goodnight, then I put her down in her cot, and then she lays on her tummy. She has to have exactly 2 blankets put over her, and she has to have one cuddly toy (doesn't matter which ones) at either side of her head. I don't really know how we got to that point though. The 2 blankets and 2 cuddly toys were all her idea.

KateandtheGirls · 08/09/2004 22:17

Sorry - she's 29 months.

hoxtonchick · 08/09/2004 22:20

My ds is finally sleeping in his big boy's bed this week, he's 2-and-a-half. So we have a new routine - he gets into bed, turns his jungle light on, me (or dp) reads Gruffalo's Child, he gets up to turn his light off, adult walks out the door, that's it! Everyone is happy, let's see how long it lasts (he has slept in our bed on & off since he was born).

sobernow · 08/09/2004 22:20

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster

prefernot · 08/09/2004 22:28

Thanks everyone. So maybe it's a cot-related thing? They are a bit like mini-prisons aren't they?

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Distracted · 08/09/2004 22:34

Think it is a cot related thing as my dd also used to be standing up when we left the room in her cot. Now she's in a bed we have a slightly different routine as I get into the bed with her and read her a last bedtime story and then when I get out she pulls the duvet up around her and lies down if she's tired. If she's not too tired then actually she stays sitting up and reads her books. The bedrail is very handy for tucking lots of books down the side of the bed and then on those nights when she's not tired she sits and reads them herself (well not actually reads, she's only 2 1/2, but she pretends to read to her toys and has memorised lots of the stories and will sing from her nursery rhyme book etc.)

Original poster

prefernot · 08/09/2004 22:43

Ah, Distracted, what a cutie! When did you put her into a bed? Did you have any problems initially?

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aloha · 08/09/2004 22:52

Put my son in a bed and out of his grobag when he was 2yrs 8months-ish, and I was a bit concerned about it, but he really does love his bed. It's a sleigh bed and he never fell out (oh, once, but he stayed asleep!) and he doesn't get out of it in the morning but sings and chats to his toys until we come in. It's lovely - dh or I get in bed with him to read and cuddle and then talk about the day and what we are doing tomorrow, then tuck him in and leave. It will happen!

CountessDracula · 08/09/2004 23:10

prefernot, my dd is just 2 (last weekend). We have had the same routine for a while. After her bottle I say "are you ready for bed now with your bear" and she says "yes and kisses and cuddles in cot" so I put her in, she lies down, we do night night sleep tight dont' let bedbugs bite (to lots of giggling) and then I have to put the side of the cot down and do lots of snuggling and kissing for a minute or two.

Then she generally says "last one now!" (obv picked up from me, but she now decides) and we have a final snuggle. Then she says "when we wake up" and I have to invent a list of thrilling things like breakfast and taking dog out for poo that we will do the next morning. Then she snuggles down and says "poor mummy got to do cleaning downstairs now" (no idea why she thinks that!) and says night night and I leave.

HTH!!

Pidge · 09/09/2004 09:21

CountessDracula - that is soooo cute!!

My dd is just 2 - I plonk her down in her cot after story and generally she just lies down for me to tuck her in under a blanket. But if she's perky she will sometimes be standing up when I leave the room. When it's cooler we put her in a grobag - but the imp has learned how to get out of them and we often find it discarded on the floor by the side of the cot with her lying there just in her pyjamas!

I think prefernot with the novelty of a bed it will all be different anyway. My dd already loves getting into our bed and tucking herself in under the duvet. In fact recently when my parents were babysitting for her she escaped from her travel cot and was found by my dad settling down in mummy and daddy's bed snuggling down under the duvet!

Welshmum · 09/09/2004 09:46

After stories, prayers and hugs and kisses I lift her into her cot while singing her special going to sleep song (made up).She lies down on her pillow, I give her bear and a tiny bit of muzzy in each hand (her comforters), put the duvet over her - all while still singing and go out. I mess around in our bedroom to hear her chatting herself to sleep. Last night it was 'We're driving in the car, it's got lovely colours, mummy's in the back wif me, daddy's in the front - isn't that right bear?' If she's very tired there's no talking. DD is 29 months.

Hulababy · 09/09/2004 10:28

DDis 2y 5m and has been in a toddler bed since 18 months - so makes the tucking in thing a bit easier I guess. For the past 8 or 9 months we have had a very similar routine which either me or Dh (or whichever grandparent is babysitting):

Bath on alternate nights - daddy always does this
PJs on and time in lounge together, supposedly quiet play for 15 minutes
Toilet and teeth
Kisses and cuddles all round
Into bedroom with story book in hand
Took dolly into her bed (next to DDs)
Bedtime story, lights dimmed, teddy cuddled
After story kiss and cuddle
Door left ajar, bedroom light off, ha;; light on

And that's it.

Original poster

prefernot · 09/09/2004 20:12

Oh, I so envy those of you who get to tuck their little ones in very cosily! My dd's always been terribly independent and it's hard to imagine she won't just want to do it herself. I have to slip my cuddles in when she's not looking . It feels somehow rather sad to go out of the room when she's just standing there in the dark ...

Maybe I should get her a bed.

aloha, where did you get a 'sleigh' bed from?

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