Toddler bedtime nightmares (my own)

Candida - posted on 01/14/2009

we have had same problem before. i am a firm believer in Dr. Ferber's book. Have you ever heard of it. might be worth a shot. it's an excellent read regardless of whether you decide you like it or not.

Erin - posted on 01/14/2009

Try a reward system. We've found that our 3 year old does really well with a sticker chart. We just have the problem that he wakes up in the middle of the night and comes in our room to crawl in our bed. We started telling him if he stayed in his bed he would get a sticker, I just cut a big star out of construction paper to put the stickers on. The first week or two was hit or miss, but now it has worked. He is so proud of him self when he gets a sticker. Just a thought.

Ana - posted on 01/14/2009

It's not bad parenting it's just that they have such good memories at this age! lol.. i too did it ONE time when it was super early and I didn't have the energy so I took him to my bed and we napped.. he proceeded to wake up early every day since then! (we're going on 2 weeks) so my problem is less of an issue.
I had a problem keeping my son in his toddler bed. No matter what we tried he wouldn't stay. Even if he feel asleep whenever he woke up he would get out. One day I didn't know what else to do so I looked at him and said "you really need to go to your bed". I kid you not, he looked at me, turned around and hopped into bed and didn't get out until the next morning!

I wish all things were that simple but the moral of the story is that eventually she'll get it. It's all about the way you look at I suppose but in the end you can feel comfort in knowing that your child wants to be that close to you guys. There will be a day when it's just going to stop and you're going to think you're crazy for missing it.

Rebecca - posted on 01/14/2009

GREAT advice from all of you! Thank you thank you thank you!!! I'm going to try and it's comforting to know that I'm not the only one. Sometimes I feel like a bad parent because she seems to run my life instead of me running hers!! I appreciate all the comments!!!

Melanie - posted on 01/14/2009

Oh, I just thought of another thing. Let her fall sleep with her own blanket in your bed then take her and the blanket to her bed because it will be warm and smell like you and hubby.

Carolyn - posted on 01/14/2009

I had the same problem. What I did was sit on a chair in beside the bed until he got use to not being in bed with me then just move the chair back a little each night until I was in the hallway. But a warning it take a couple of months doing it this way another way is to go in when she is crying after 10 to 15 min and pat her back without talking until she calms down and then leave the room again (longer crying this way but shorter time it takes to get in her own bed) if she get out of bed don't talk when you put her back in bed. Either way its going to be a long process and drive you insane there is no easy way and she probally going to wake up durning the night and cry because your not there and she is use to you there but if you can hold out she be in her own bed. Good luck and don't give up.

Cara - posted on 01/14/2009

Oh geeze... sounds exactally like mine.. shes 2.5 too.. i let her sleep in my bed when she was little & sick ONE TIME and ever since then.. shes been in my bed every night. i have no idea what to do. if i could i would let her cry all night but i cant bc my brothers room is right next to mine. GR! I wish I knew what to do too!!

Melanie - posted on 01/14/2009

The only bit of advice that I have is to start with the new bedtime routine when YOU have the time. Start your new plan on a day when you and your husband have the day off (the night before your day off). I only have a 5 month old but she loves to sleep in bed with us, but she also sleeps in her own crib.

Where does she sleep during her naptime? Sometimes its easier to start with something simple like naps.

The last bit of advice that I have is that get her starting to wake up in her room. Put her to bed after she falls asleep with you. (Again make sure it is a night that you can lose some sleep because she may wake up when you move her, but just keep doing it.)