2-year-old still crying at every wake-up :(

erinlovesdavid

I thought that this would stop once he could talk, but DS (27 mos) still cries every time he wakes up--both mornings and naps. I always tell him he doesn't have to cry and that he can just yell "Mommy, I'm awake!!" but so far it hasn't worked.

He's still in his crib and I'm wondering if converting it might help. He's not the best sleeper, though, so that thought kind of terrifies me.

Anyone else dealing/dealt with this? Any suggestions?

Lisadi

Does he have a lovey or anything in with him, for when he wakes up? Sometimes that helps my LO.

Also, there was a good Llama Llama book about that. I think it was this one:

 https://www.amazon.com/Llama-Red-Pajama-Anna-Dewdney/dp/0670059838/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1380822080&sr=1-3&keywords=llama+llama+books

countrymice06

My DD is almost 3, and she has never been an easy waker.  They say she even wakes up crying at daycare from naps.  FWIW, I do think converting into a toddler bed has helped.  We switched a little after she turned 2, and now she wakes up on her own and comes into our room and stands next to her bed carrying all her stuffed animals.  I think it gives her a lot more control over her waking up. She is still whiny, but I would rather wake up to a whiny, "I'm up and I want some milk" next to my bed rather than all out shrill screaming from her crib.  

erinlovesdavid

Thanks for the replies, ladies. We have read that Llama Llama book over and over, but it doesn't seem to help. He has his blanket, two "friends," and a sippy of water in bed with him. I will have to give some more thought to converting. My only concern is that he will decide that 5:00 AM is an acceptable wake-up time, and I won't be able to contain him like I can in the crib.

sschwege

Kind of a random idea, but maybe you could give him a something that would make noise that he could use when he wakes up.  Something fun like a bell to ring?  This way it would remind him he doesn't have to cry.

Just an idea though, perhaps it would turn into a problem if he decided to ring it all night or something

erinlovesdavid

sschwege said:

Kind of a random idea, but maybe you could give him a something that would make noise that he could use when he wakes up.  Something fun like a bell to ring?  This way it would remind him he doesn't have to cry.

Just an idea though, perhaps it would turn into a problem if he decided to ring it all night or something

Yeah, there is no way my kid would use that appropriately. It's a great idea, though! Maybe once he's a little older. I have thought about getting one of those "Okay to Wake" lights in the meantime. I don't know if it would help or not.

bluejetta

Does he get more riled up if you leave him a minute? When my DD wakes up unhappy she usually is overtired and was woken before she was ready (not by us but some other stimuli or such) and needs a min to wake up on her own. If he's always been that way he may just have a hard time waking (I know adults who do so it doesn't sound odd). 

jb2rn

My son still cries most of the time. If he is very well rested he sometimes wakes up happy, he will talk and bounce in his crib.

 

I would guess it has more to do with the fact that he is still tired than being in a crib. Unfortunately, I haven't figured out how to make kids sleep longer, sorry!

BelhurstBride

DD cried when she woke up until she was 3 then it just randomly stopped. I think it was just a developmental thing she needed to get over. 

erinlovesdavid

BelhurstBride said:

DD cried when she woke up until she was 3 then it just randomly stopped. I think it was just a developmental thing she needed to get over. 

This is what I was thinking. I'm glad to hear that someone else's LO did this and has outgrown it. I was starting to worry that I would send him off to college this way!