My daughter doesn't want to go to sleep in her room (22mths)

Erin - posted on 07/19/2009

We went through this with my 3 year old and are currently dealing with our youngest. Co-sleeping seems to work best for us. My older daughter used to hate her crib so we got her a toddler bed. She slept in it for a few nights until she realized she could get out. My husband used to sleep on the floor next to her bed just to keep her in her room (this went on for months). Once she was almost 3 and got a new big girl bed she finally stayed in her room most nights as long as we layed down with her. She still calls me in her room some nights to lay by her if she wakes up. Now when my youngest wakes during the night, we just let her sleep with us. She will eventually sleep in her own room when she is ready. Although having her in our bed isn't ideal, I would rather get some sleep than be up half the night trying to get her to stay in her own bed.

Katie - posted on 07/16/2009

This is a tough situation. I just went through it with my daughter who will be 2 on the 24th. We converted her crib to the toddler bed because she was climbing out. It took 3 months of her crying and screaming and me sleeping on the floor with her most nights before she realized that her bed was more comfortable and she was crawling in there herself. As much as it breaks your heart you really have to just let her cry it out and get comfortable in her room. Your daughter has to learn that her room is her space and that she is safe there. Once she realizes, too that you and your husband aren't going to rock her or bring her to the couch, she will look for someplace to crash. Hopefully her bed, but it didn't hurt my daughter to sleep on the floor on blankets.

Brandy - posted on 07/14/2009

Quoting Emilee:

My daughter doesn't want to go to sleep in her room (22mths)

She will fall asleep on the couch or in mine and my husbands bed. She screams when she is in her room we have tried music, a nightlight,reading story after story, and fake sleeping in her room on her floor (which doesn't work) . So you would think she cries her self to sleep but no.......... so we finally get her and rock her or put her on the couch with us and she is out in 45 sec. But.........she wakes up around 2 or 3am and comes in our room crying cause she doesn't want to be in her room. We've been dealing with this 3 weeks now. Is this just a phase or does anyone have any sugestions?

I say co-sleep.  I did it with both my kids...oldest until around 3...youngest until 10 months...both grew out of it...you can try to get her SPecial NEW blankets that she chose...making her bed more special...you can always try having her sleep in your room with you until she is used to her bed...then move it further and further away until it is in her room...if she is in a toddler bed try getting a new twin BIG girl bed...this may make her feel more special and in tune with her bed...my youngest went straight from crib to twin size bed...wanted to be more like big brother...

If all else fails, co-sleep for awhile.  I am pretty sure she will grow out of it...if you want, after she falls asleep place her in her bed...when she comes into your room at 2 -3am let her fall asleep with you, then move her back...eventually she will get the idea.  They are only little for so long, and again...let them sleep in the middle...she may just need that extra security a little while longer.

Kelly - posted on 07/07/2009

All I have to say is that after having three kids, I became immune to the crying. Doc told us to stop babying her, its not going to hurt her if she cries, or even if she makes her self so sick from crying she vomits. All I have to say is that it works, they have to learn that you have the control, and when you say its time for bed, you mean it. They should never have control of anthing, and it sounds to me that she has you wrapped around your ltitle pinkies. good luck, but its what worked for me and my first kid. the next two just fell into a bed time without a prob.

Angela - posted on 06/15/2009

My husband and I went threw the same thing with our 22 month old. But we did the same thing that i did with my now 31/2 yr old daughter. I never allowed my kids to sleep in my bed because i could never sleep with them right next to me. So when they finally did go through the phase of wanting to sleep with us (14 months for my daughter and 17 months for my son) we would lay them in bed, kiss them goodnight and shut the door ( u can use or nightlight or music, they will get used to whatever u lay them down to bed with). They will cry, but it dosent hurt them, it used to bother me when babies cried but my daughter was colicky so i kinda became immune to it, anyway my doctor told me once that no child has never been hurt fom crying, its the only way they know how to communicate. after a few mintues go in ( if she gets out of bed or is standing in her crib )don't say anything to her , lay her back down and walk out. keep doing this and eventually she will fall asleep. It is a very hard thing to do, and the first two nights or so it could take as long as three hours, but after a couple nights she will relize mommy and daddy mean buisness and will fall asleep alot faster. If she wakes in the middle of the night keep the same routine, just let her cry, if she gets out put her back in, sooner or later she will be sleeping through the night. This is just a suggetion, it helprd me so i hope it helps you, any questions feel free to right back.

Gen - posted on 06/04/2009

I'm going through the same thing at the moment. We sit on the bed next to her and dont look at or touch her and just sit quietly and keep telling her to lay down and go to sleep ( some times it takes 45 minutes ) and just don't give in because this will make her think well it took this long to get you to give in i'll try again next time cause i know it works eventually. And the same again in the middle of the night.

Gen - posted on 06/04/2009

I'm going through the same thing at the moment. We sit on the bed next to her and dont look at or touch her and just sit quietly and keep telling her to lay down and go to sleep ( some times it takes 45 minutes ) and just don't give in because this will make her think well it took this long to get you to give in i'll try again next time cause i know it works eventually. And the same again in the middle of the night.