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How to create a bedtime routine for a 2 and 1/2 yr old?

Discussion in 'Toddlers' started by ArunaSashi, Jul 19, 2013.

  1. Vijayarahini

    Vijayarahini Bronze IL'ite

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    Hi mommies read all your suggestions before.. I have a 25 months DD and she does take a nap for 1.5 hrs post lunch and night a disturbed sleep for some 8 hours but what I feel is for both night sleep and nap it's a forceful one I should make her sleep somehow as I feel she would be tired if I don't do so..my concern how can I put her to sleep without much screaming and cries at night as my DH can't even digest a word ill of DD I lose patience sometimes and end up shouting at her to close her eyes and she starts crying... Plz tell me tips to overcome this dear mommies... Thanks in advance ...
     
  2. guesshoo

    guesshoo IL Hall of Fame

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    Hello Vijayarahini,

    At 25 months, she will understand if you calmly tell her, unless she sleeps an would be too tired to enjoy herself. Let the onus of sleeping be on her. By that I mean don't try excessively hard to get her to sleep. And as you have figured out, showing your frustration on the child is the least effective way of getting your child to comply.

    first do you have a sleep routine In place? If not, you need to set one up.
    Does she have a separate cot to sleep in? A separate cot will be ideal to define as her space to retire to. Or have a special mattress/ pillow/ cover for the area she sleeps in.
    What do you do when she wakes up? Or even fights to go to sleep? You need to not engage with her. As in, without eye contact, keep calmly repeating in a sort voice that it is nap/ sleep time.
    You and your husband need to talk and agree upon having a plan which will take consistency and patience to execute over two weeks or so. Without both partners onboard, it becomes extremely trying. Plus it is ineffective because the child will be confused by what's expected of her.

    In the evening, say 7 is her bed time, ensure she is fed by 5:30 and after that plays calmly till 7. Have board games, play gentle songs and turn the tv off. At 7 tell her it is bedtime and execute your routine - eg. Milk, Bath/ face wash, brush, change into nightdress, read a story and bed. Exactly in the same order. When she comes to the bedroom make sure the light is very dim - have only the bedside light on perhaps - and her bedclothes etc are set up. Once the story is read, tell her it is time to sleep and turn the light off.

    She won't comply initially. If she is used to sleeping by herself, just leave her there and come away. If she is used to sleeping with you, you lie down too next to her. Put everything else like cooking and cleaning off that week and make this your priority. Then don't talk or tell her to go to sleep. If she tries to get up, regardless of whether she listens or cries, just calmly whisper that it is bedtime and make sure she is lying down. If she repeatedly tries getting up, be very calm and wordlessly keep making her lie down. Don't engage with her at all. Just pat her while whispering numbers or something like that.

    If she wakes up in the middle of the night again do the same without engaging with her - just whisper and pat. It might take several hours the first night. Keep at it without letting her get up or get to you. If you are lying down with her, make sure that you stick with it and don't let her dad take over for even a couple of min because it will be disruptive. By the next couple of nights itself there will be a dramatic improvement if you are consistent. There will be "test" nights when she will take longer than the first night to sleep but if you are consistent, in a couple of weeks the routine will be set.

    For younger babies here is a "wake to sleep" method recommended by the baby whisperer for night wakers. It worked for me when my dd was little. Perhaps it still will work for you. Do look it up.

    Good luck

    ps: at 25 months she needs at least 13-14 hours of sleep a day, I think. Please research that too and incorporate it into your routine
     
  3. Vijayarahini

    Vijayarahini Bronze IL'ite

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    Thanks guesshoo... Yes we follow a bedtime routine and consistent in what we do everyday but still her sleep dint improve we co sleep with her .. The problem is she needs to play all the time and doctors here say she should get a sleep of around 10 hours minimum
     
  4. kriztina

    kriztina Bronze IL'ite

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    I was in need of this thread badly, i was at the brink of creating a new thread. Thanks for all the suggestions, it's high time I set a bed time routine for my 2 and half plus LO.
     
  5. Vijayarahini

    Vijayarahini Bronze IL'ite

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    I've discovered negotiating with a toddler about going to bed is harder than anything you have ever done. Ever.
     

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