Wake clocks and bedtime behavior
Hi! I am need of some advice. I don't get on here very often anymore but am at my wits end with bed time. My DD, who is 2 1/2 years old, has never been a good sleeper but did sleep through the night for a short period. I can deal with her waking up a time or two a night even, usually just takes sshing or singing a song to go back to sleep, but recently she has been fighting going to sleep. We have tried to keep the same bedtime routine since forever, butt am not sure if it needs to be changed or what. She gets so worked up, she can't calm herself, ( whole nother issue I am concerned about) and one of us usually has to go upstairs with her and "sleep" with her until she falls asleep. So I am wondering if we need to contact the pedi about this or do you all have any suggestions? Also, please tell me about these wake clocks I keep reading about? How to do they work and if you have one, does it work for you? Thanks you for any help we can get. It takes us anywhere from 20mins to 2 hours to get her to bed most nights!! I guess I am wishful thinking that I could get the DD back that would just lay down and go to sleep, like she used to! TIA~!
Re: Wake clocks and bedtime behavior
DD is 27 months and we have had similar issues but we were able to rectify quickly. I think it's a control thing and she has complete control over you by screaming and getting you or DH to go back upstairs and help her get to sleep. She is getting what she wants.
With DD we had to stop any major stimulation about an hour before bed -- no TV, ipad, loud games, etc. Just nice play time or what not. Then we let her know about 20 min before bed that it's going to be bed time soon. We reminded her a lot that bed time was coming. I think this is a big thing to implement if you are not already doing it. Then we do the bed time routine, PJ's, brush teeth, read book etc.
If DD starts to get upset after we say good night and walk out, we do not go back in but instead we either open the door or just say thru the baby monitor "Annabella, Mommy/Daddy hears you, it's bed time, go to sleep" Sometimes we would have to say it 10+ times but we never went back in the room. I read somewhere on line that the kids just need confirmation that you are around but to try and avoid going back in the room.
DD does great with bed time now. We still remind her (we do this with naps too) and she rarely has a melt down. Everyone parents differently but crying is ok, it shows strong lungs and if you go in every time to soothe her, how will she ever learn to self-soothe and she knows exactly what she is doing, she has complete control over you and that is what every 2 yo wants.
Good luck.
I got DS a wake-up clock right before he turned 2. Prior to that, he was waking up earlier and earlier, like before 5 a.m. We set if for 5:30 the first week, then turned it to 5:45. It is amazing. For the past month or so, he actually sleeps well past it--till 6:30 or 7. It is heaven for this momma who was up before 5 a.m. for most of 2 years!