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3 yr old just wont go to bed - desperate need advice
My 3 year old just wont stay in bed, he is really tired and has bad behaviour in the day time, so we put him to bed about 7.30pm.
Follow a relaxing bath, bedclothes, stories, but then he just keeps getting up, needing a wee, then a poo, crying at the stair gate on the stairs, I put him back, he gets up again, and again and again.
I am out of ideas, we give stickers for good bed time, treats etc, and take them away when not good
It took 45 mins to get him to bed tonight, so tomorrow will be more bad behaviour again.
Advice, anyone we appear to have tried everything
Follow a relaxing bath, bedclothes, stories, but then he just keeps getting up, needing a wee, then a poo, crying at the stair gate on the stairs, I put him back, he gets up again, and again and again.
I am out of ideas, we give stickers for good bed time, treats etc, and take them away when not good
It took 45 mins to get him to bed tonight, so tomorrow will be more bad behaviour again.
Advice, anyone we appear to have tried everything
0
Replies
My only advise is stick with it. Jack went through this phase and we just kept putting him back to bed and saying its bedtime now. Nothing else no conversation or telling off (ok sometimes i did when it all got too much!!!)
Just stick to it and after a few weeks it should be ok.
Another idea which worked for us when Jack used to get up at 5am every day was one of those sleep trainer clocks. It has a sheep on it and you set the time for when its time to wake. When you turn it on at bedtime the sheep is asleep and when its the time you set the sheep wakes up. This might work if they know the sheep is asleep and they have to be asleep.
Keep us posted on how you get on hun
I have had the same problems with my 3 yo daughter. Its now 22.35 and we have been trying to put her to bed since 7.30 this evening. Its the same routine every night. Takes us until midnight sometimes. She then wakes around 4 times during the night and gets up around 5.30/6.00. I eventually spoek to my HV about it and she made 3 visits to us and when she ran out of obvious reasons or cures she was no longer willing to help. I have become so depressed over this and when i speak to family/friends about it, they just dont believe its happening.
I would say document everything in a day, wake up, nap times, meal times, days activities and see if there is something obvious that may be causing it. If not perhaps you could ask for you HV to come out and visit to see if they can offer you anything.
I hope this is just a phase for you and that you LO grows out of it ASAP xx
Obviously not all children like to go to sleep like this but if they want company and cuddles surely the best time to give it is at, what can be a very difficult time of day.
I have had this problem. I tried everything and after a few months it stopped, I still don't know what it was all about.
hey x
my little boy wouldnt sleep in his own bed or all theough the night i had to lie on his floor until he fell asleep this lasted until he was 4 when i had tried everything.. no speaking to him outing him back to bed, siting at the door, later bedtime etc i finaly broke ajd couldnt cope anymore and called the health visator, she camr nd had a converstion with me in earshot of my son but didnt directly speak to him and from that night on he slept in his own bed! all through the night i have no jdea what changed his attitude or what she said that registersld but sometimes them herinf from a stranger works x i dont know if it helped that i bot him a new "big boy bed" the ones with the tent underneath and it has ladders... thus may have helped as i mde suxh a big deal of how kool the bed was and how bug he was skeeping in ut x since then hes been amzing! id definately recomend speajing to ur doc or health visator if all else has failed as my son eas close to being refered to a skeep therapist s he literly got 2hrs sleep a nught x gd luck xx
I might be mistaken, but don't you think that going to bed at 7.30 is a bit too early?
What if you try to start all these usual activities with the bath time and stories at least 45 minutes later (the same time it takes you to help your kid fall asleep). At the same time, you might consider day sleep hours or naps (sorry if you are already doing this and it doesn't help). It's only my suggestion.
My son occasionaly had those days as well. Before he goes to sleep he has to go potty. But he refused. Then I asked him if he wanted something to drink also no. So we go upstairs & he's crying his eyes out. Suddenly he remembers all my questions & fools me by telling me what I want to hear like "Mommy I need to pee."
Yes kids are smart like that
So he did all the things that I wanted him to do & then he had to go up the stairs again so he started crying again. This only worked for 3 days or so.
Now I put my foot down, if he said no the first time, there is no second chance. I found that telling them you are going to sleep as well to be helpful too.
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