18 month old and trying to establish routine

[mixedmama]

There have been many reasons why we havent been able to do this before.

We start at around 6 pm.... if I am home from work in time with CBeebies bedtime hour, then change into pjs and have bath. Normally he falls asleep in his chair in the living room with me holding his hands.

Last night I took him toi his bedroom at 7.00 pm but he would not stay on the bed, despite being quite tired. In the end I put him in his chair next to his bed, he was virtually asleep and i moved him to the bed.

How can I get him (a) to stay on the bed to fall asleep and (b)stop using his dummy as altho he enjoys the Cbeebies he sits still and watches it all because of the dummy and will not fall asleep without it.

Any help greatly appreciated.

tackle one thing at once.
leave the dummy, just leave it till you have sorted out the bed time thing.

How about putting him in bed then sitting with him with a book.

do you have a stair gate across his bedroom door way?
i think that most people will advise that to keep him in his room so that you can leave him.

Is he in a toddler bed or cot?
I had this problem too with ds, he has just made the transition from cot to bed. At first he just got out of bed all the time but I just kept putting him back and eventually he'd fall asleep or if he is finding it hard to settle I sit next to the bed and stroke his hair untill he nods off. He's alot better now, he's been in his bed for about 2 months now. I have also had to stop daytime naps.

Ds is 2 this week though so I wouldnt advise you to stop ds naps if he's only 18months still.

I agree, leave the dummy for now - if it helps him, it will help you gently move towards him falling asleep without you there.

I don't have a great deal of advice as my boys had a bedtime routine from the day they came home from hosp, but one thing I can can suggest is consistancy, every night the same - don't give in to him. Make your mind up how you are going to do it (cbeebies, bath, bottle/cup milk, bed) and stick with it. Once you have gone up to bed he is not allowed back down, that sort of thing. Would also recommend a gate across door or across top of stairs so you can leave him without worrying what he's up to.

hadnt thought of the stairway. he just wont stay on the bed so if i leave him and i dont want him randomly falling asleep on the floor IYSWIM.

if he sleeps on the floor, let him, move him later - he will soon get the message.

we went through a phase of them being ace sleepers, fell asleep alone, not a wimper, to them squealing with delight at some game they were playing for 2 hours after bedtime. I had to keep going in cos one of them would remove their nappy and wee all over the bed! I know he was doing it for attention, but i used to deal with it the same way, wordlessly go in, clear up, replace nappy, replace child in bed and walk out. We are back to good sleepers again now

Will invest in gate at the weekend then and see how we go with that. I suppose I have to movve him from the chair anyway so doesnt make that much difference.

I do really like sitting with him, i know that I am just making more problems by doing that though. Expecting second Lo in december so i do have to do it.

Yes agree that consistancy is the absolute key and once you put ds to bed say night night give kiss and cuddle then thats it no more talking. When he gets up just lie him straight back down againg. It can be very tedious to start with but it defifnitly pays off and does work if your are consistant with it.

You could still sit with him just dont let him fall asleep. I sit with ds and whatch in the night garden then its milk and bed. Occasionally if he has been at nursery all day and is very tired he will fall asleep on the sofa but I dont mind that I just pick him up and put him to bed.