Screaming Fits at Night

[hippi]

Need advice on how to deal with a scraaming two year old! She won't sleep fire works woke her up and scared her. Now she won't settle, left the light on palyed soothing music, showed her that fireworks have all gone! Nothing works. Last night left her to scream for 25 mins before caving in cuddled her calmed her down - left her again. 20 minutes of more screaming and pleading mummy i good girl, sorry mummy, mummy cuddle she was asleep. Only to wake up 2hrs later. I cuddled her to sleep. " hrs later at 00.15 she was screaming I went to cuddle her snuggled her in her bed and sat and waited for her to fall asleep - she watched me at 00.55 i took her in my bed. Where she chatted with Daddy before being threatened with going into her own room. She fell asleep. At approx 03.20 I carried her back into her own bed. So I could get a decent 3 hours kip before going to work. This has been going on for 10 nights now and I am shattered. Bed time routine is the same, milky drink, bath, cuddle, story in bed, kiss goodnight, love you lots and lots see you in the morning. Nothings changed except these bloody fireworks. I cannot have her sleeping in our bed indefinately! Any thoughts advice etc. maybe I'll just have to be patient and see out this screaming fits at bedtime - what do you think!

my 2 year old went through the same thing. We started making a fuss about the fireworks, showing them to her, jumping up and down, singing songs to them, oooing and aaing everytime we saw one. Now she thinks it's all great fun, and can't wait for the next 'faayawoks'. She's still up most of the time, but at least now she's happy and not scared anymore. Nowwe have to find something else to threaten her with when she's naughty...

There must be something in the water at the moment, my 2yo has very suddenly (last weekend) started refusing to go to sleep. No fireworks, just naughtiness!

you probably already tried it but try just lying in bed next to her telling her your not going no where and theres nothing to be scared of and just sing softly until she drops off it might take a bit of time for her to feel reasured that everythings going to be ok but as soon as it kicks in she safe she should start going down fine gl

We changed her bedtime routine. Now both mummy and daddy bath her, and when mummy reads to her dady listens to. it's quite nice gives us some time together. Haven't just changed routine 'cos of fire works - also new baby (arrived 12/01/05.He falls asleep after feed at about 6pm for an hour, giving us time for new bedtime rountine- he's quite considerate for less that a week old!)We have put a night light in her room and give her warm milk and honey before bed, and she has slept soundly for last 3 nights (even through her brother screams of hunger at 04.30am) So hopefully this will continue. Maybe some of the above (apart from new baby thing) might help you countess Dracula

This happened to my DS when he was 2 after the fireworks. I started putting a tape recorder in his bedroom with nursery rhymes on and he soon settled. I think the silence scared him cos he was waiting for the big bangs to go off so the tape took his mind off it.