3yo bedtime

[OneGlamMama]

My three year old has had a lot happen in his little life. Our life uprooted a couple months back due to my pending divorce with his dad.

Now a single parent, moved back in with my parents, he has taken things pretty good and had always been a fab sleeper (all through the night)

But the least few weeks has been horrendous. Waking up at every hour almost, settling for bed takes well over an hour, and whenever I try to leave him and say goodnight, I'm met with "mama, please don't leave me, you'll forget me" the only way I've been able to settle him is doing the full routine, he ends up with an extra cup of milk which will allow me to leave the room.

Advice please. From a struggling exhausted mama.

I'm really sorry to hear that, that sounds tough.
I'm not sure if this is helpful but it's maybe worth a try- I made a calming playlist for my daughters, it can help to have music playing softly when they go to sleep.
www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLEpeVs4WeBv_F5qYE3pXMvnsCCNqZRuBQ

Also, I don't know if this would help but it's just an idea- how about recording an audiobook for your kid? It can just be a phone recording, it doesn't have to be high quality. You could read some of their favourite stories, sing their favourite songs, all whilst intermittently telling them how much you love them and will always be there for them, and how everyone feels sad and scared sometimes but it's all going to be ok. Could also be a lovely thing for them to fall asleep to whilst feeling closer to you.

Good luck getting through this tough time, I hope you have people around who can give you some support

"mama, please don't leave me, you'll forget me".

This makes it sound like he's having trouble processing the divorce, and thinks his father has left him, so he's afraid that you'll leave him too.

I am sorry, I don't really have any advice other than to try and give him extra reassurance or possibly look into a child therapy.