Bedtimes a month ago were a dream, now they're a NIGHTMARE -please help!

[champagnesupernova]

We moved DS (2y3m) into his toddler bed about a month ago as he started to climbing out of his cot and we were worried about injuries.
Before the climbing incidents we had a great bedtime routine where we would do the usual bath, story, winding down and then brush teeth, put his lullabies on and say night night, close the door and then that was IT.

Now he can get out of bed, his bedtime is slipping later and later as he doesn't seem tired, we're resorting to lying down in the bed wiht him until he's asleep (trying not to fall asleep ourselves) and creeping out of the room.

He is super active, does have a nap during the day but does seem to need it as often still wakes early.

Moreover now when he wakes in thenight, he comes into our bed.

HELP!

I don't even know where to start with trying to fix this.

bump bump bump

Oh gosh champagnesupernova what a change for you. DD (2.5) has also always had a v reliable bedtime routine and it's bliss I can totally understand why you want to get back to how things were.

I haven't any experience but in your position I think I'd try a fancy sticker chart to motivate him? We just potty trained DD and I was amazed at how simple stickers motivated her and how proud she was when we made a big fuss of presenting her with her next sticker. Put something up on the wall and start with simple things like putting his PJs on when asked moving up to getting into bed on time and staying there. DD also responded well to some full on bribery by allowing her to choose a new toy from the toy shop when she finished her sheet of stickers. Hope this helps & good luck.

Aha. O remember this. On iPhone ATM will type full answer when omn pooter

ok this is going to be tough.
you need ot agree with dh the strategy and timescale ( or else wil deffo fail adn result in hissed recriminations about his mother at 2am on teh landing)

1. start prepping in the day, talk with him about what people do at bedtime, if needs be get a dull book out of the library about baby foxes or something) talk to him about what peopel dont do. havea laugh. suggest how wrong it would be if daddy goes ot get into bed with grandma etc

1. at evening. put him into bed. remind him what is going to happen. then get a copy of grazia nad sit outside his door.

when and if he comes out say "bed" then read about being fashion forward. then if he comes out again say "bed" and put him back and so on. You may well need pinot grigo. if this gets to silly stage then sit on the floor in his room. and say "you stay in bed". Be quite firm. dont listen to any shit about drinks.

in the night do the same, i remember saying " daddy is in bed brother is in bed brother is in bed ds3 goes to bed" repeatedly.

dont let him in your bed at all.

good luck

ps what time does he go

LOL at pinot grigio warning.

Yes, prob is keeping him in his bed and getting him to close eyes with head on pillow.

And when we leave him to sit outside door avec Grazia, he think it's a big game and comes peeping out of the door, "there is Mummy" and I get sterner and sterner but it is blardy hard.

Will try some prepping though
Find some dull books from lib is good idea = need to go in anyhoo.

Hi ours went through the sam a few months ago, and we are such pansies who gave up returning him to bed after 1 hour. So we ended up lying with him until he's asleep and tbh, we love it. His sleeping at night sucks though, has been for the past 7 months. Maybe Folornhope should come to my place and sleep train the babe, I'll have the pinot ready....

I'm in exactly the same situation! My DD is 2.4 yo and has always been a brilliant sleeper. We moved her into a junior bed a few weeks ago and she's turned into a nightmare.

We tried repeatedly putting her to bed - either saying 'back to bed' or refusing to say anything at all. However, she gets increasingly wound up and turns it into a game. Tonight, after I'd put her back to bed at least 30 times, she was shrieking and in gales of laughter, whereas during the bedtime rountine she was actually looking quite drowsy.

Many of my NCT friends have used a child gate to contain the toddler in the bedroom and then just leave them to fall asleep. However, our house has narrow doorframes and a gate won't fit.

I'm beginning to feel like I'm the only one out there with this problem... so nice to know you exist champagnesupernova even if I can't offer any words of advice...

We had a breakthrough! At our wits end following chicken pox, previously brilliant sleeper wouldn't go to sleep without one of us in the room, took ages, and would wander every single night and we ended up giving in and taking turns to go to bed in there to give the other one a rest. Not great for the marriage!
Asked a teacher at his nursery, she advocated rapid return, sitting outside the door with a repeated "back to bed!", not engaging in anything other conversation. We also bought a "treat" in the form of an astronaut rotating night light, which seemed to break the pattern. After about 10 "back to beds" he started chatting and singing to himself, and got himself off to sleep. He did get up in the night, but after 4 back to beds he was asleep. Alone. Unbelievable!
Tonight, 3 back to beds and he was singing again. We had had a few horrible nights of locking the door on him, which sent him mental, and tonight he said to me "please don't lock the door mummy.....", so lesson learned there.
Early days but no tears, either from him or mum, and mum and dad actually sleeping in the same bed again! Have faith xx

Drop daytime sleep.
Make sure he is not hungry
my DD 2.3 was awful til one night I gave up and took her downstairs to watch TV. I was in the middle of dinner so carried on eating. She ate half my tea, so concluded that she had been hungry all this time and me being bad mummy hadn't noticed.

Lovin' panda's tips! Will be following your advice

A week later, now doesn't get up at all, either when we put him down or through the night. Praise BE. Obviously all a phase and some other hell will emerge but for now, peace xxx