My nearly 2 year old will no longer go to sleep unless someone is in the room.....
Hey!
New to this and generally looking for some mummy advice.
My Daughter who will be 2 in September all of a sudden refuses to go to sleep unless someone is in the room with her. Only your toe or fingertip needs to be in sight, she just needs to know somebody is there.
The low down on her usual bed time routine:
- She has been in a cot bed for approximately 6 weeks with no probems
- bedtime is 7pm every evening
- we get in pjs after tea / bath
- we watch in the night garden
- we brush our teeth
- we ask Daughter if she would like to choose her bedtime story
- we go to bed
- we have to read the story twice with goodnight kisses after the first story. We then leave the story with her to read if she isn't quite ready for sleep
She usually goes to bed straight after this with no issues
Now as soon as we finish and leave the room she is running after us screaming. I have tried just picking her up explainingit is bedtime and putting her back into bed but she continuosly runs back out. We have tried going downstairs but she just sits on the landing by the stairgate wih her comforter until someone comes to check on her. I then tell her it's bedtime and she just continued to sit there.
I have asked her why she doesn't want to sleep in her bed and she just says she wants to come downstairs
Any help or advice would be much appreciated
Xxx
Replies
These kids really do like to keep us on our toes with these curve balls. Have to say your routine sounds absolutely spot on, and i think it sounds a bit like separation anxiety.
Here are a few things you could try - but don't try them all at once - one at a time to see if it works.
- a special nightlight that you can tell her watches over her (we have a little colour change unicorn one)
- have you tried sitting outside her room until she drifts off?
- after the bath and story, before you leave the room, how about you try and give her 5mins to talk or chat anythign through - so lay with her for a few mins, and then say 'now it is sleep time' No getting out of bed.
- sticker chart! Stay in bed tonight and you'll get a sticker the next morning?
Just a few ideas, but remember, it's a phase and it will pass. x