need advice my toddler is fighting to fall asleep at nap and bedtime

Kimmy - posted on 08/12/2011

You are not alone. Bedtime for my son is 9 and he sometimes fights to stay up till 11. I don't really know why so I asked my mom and she said that he is at that age where he is afraid he will miss something if he goes to bed. I don't really know of any solution to this problem but if anyone has a solution please let me know.

Patricia - posted on 08/03/2011

The same thing happens here. My boy fights to stay awake. He likes to sleep watching cartoons but when he feels that he is going to fall asleep he gets out of the bed and walks around the room. Now I decided to change the channel to a movie that doesnt intersts him when he gets out of the bed, he cries a bit but after a while he falls asleep.

Mika - posted on 08/02/2011

Ugh! I am going through the same thing. I swear I have "sleep trained" my son no less than half a dozen times. Somehow we keep reverting back to old ways. I'll try the open door thing tonight, but lately I have to just stand outside the door and let him know that I am there. The second I step away and he realizes that I am not there, he is up and out of bed. It has been taking about an hour and a half to get him to go to sleep. He was up until 10pm last night. Frustrated mommy here for sure!!! Would love more advice too. Will try the open door tonight.

Kayla - posted on 07/27/2011

Well I have tried many different things and for my daughter it seemed to be just leaving the door open. We used to close it all the time and it seemed like she would freak out when I would shut her door. So for her nap and bed time yesterday I tried keeping her door open and she fell asleep almost right away. This is just something that seemed to work and I guess I'll see tonight how it goes!!! Not sure if you ladies shut the door, but it's worth a try to keep the door open. I have also heard that this is a stage and will return to normal....good luck to you ladies ;)

Kathy - posted on 07/23/2011

No suggestions, just letting you know you aren't alone. 9 pm is a regular occurrence in our house these days. And yeah, a lot of times we have to let him get to the strong crying stage at which point a cup of water and a minute of two of patting his back is all it takes. I'd heard from friends with older kids that this does happen, but it sure doesn't make it easier. They're really too young to be giving up naps, my guess is that it's a control or separation anxiety thing. He doesn't do it when we have a sitter once a week.

Katherine - posted on 07/22/2011

My daughter is pulling the same thing. She will stay up until 10pm. I don't know what to do with her either.
I would cut the naps.