My 2 year old?

Question

My daughter is like the frickin Energizer Bunny. She wakes up around 8 am and doesn't go to bed until 11pm or later with out a nap. And we play all I mean all day long, inside outside. Any suggestion on how to get her to go to bed earlier. Like around 8pm. Also we live in an apartment and I am affraid that if I let her scream it out then I will get CPS called on me because it has happen before not to me but others around.

Answer 1

It seems like not every kids needs as much sleep as the doctors say. Our second is like that. Since she's 2, I doubt that letting her scream for a few nights will help.

We tried several things with only partial success:

-reading to him (nothing as boring a a parent droning on and on)
-a sleep machine (artificial sound machine)
-a bath before bed. Also used lavendar oil in the bath which is supposed to help.

-Start early, say an hour before bed time, and start bringing her energy level down. TV must be off, residence needs to quiet down, limit the lights, noise, and activity. This probabaly has to involve your whole residence.

-NO CAFFEINE AT ALL (I know you're probably not giving her soda, but just in case...)

-Watch what and when she eats in the evening.

Ask friends or your pediatrician for advice or a book that might have ideas as well.

Don't use any medication, not even the "natural" stuff. It hasn't been tested in 2 year olds, the effects are not fully known. (natural does not always equeal safe or healthy)

Take comfort in the fact that her sleep habits will someday get to be more normal. With ours, it was when he started going to school. It changed some with pre-school, but really changed when he went to kindergarten. I think maybe lots of mental activity (mixed in with physical activity) tires them out more.

Answer 2

YOU are the boss. You make her go to bed at the normal age for a 2 year old, which is about 7pm.

If you let her hang around until 11pm you are doing two things:
- you're showing her that you are not the boss, that she is. And she is only two. This means that by the time she is 4 you will not be able to have a say in anything she does, and after that it will get even worse.
- you're hurting her development, because kids that age do need at the very least 12 hours of sleep per nigh

I'm appalled by some answers where people recommend drugs!

But you could make sure that you do NOT give her anything containing coffein, for example Coke, or ice-tea. If you do, try water for a couple days.

Answer 3

OK.That's qiute familiar to me.I have 7 children and I have experienced this many times.Here is what you have to do.First of all - NO any sedatives (syrups,pills...).Forget these!Your daughter has a lot of energy.She has to use it:)In the morning,let her wake up before 9 o'clock.Don't let her sleep until 10 o'clock.When she wakes up,don't let her stay long in bed.During day - go to the park every day(if you hae a park nearby).Let her play at least 2 hours.You have to think about the midday sleep.If you let her sleep 3-4 hours,don't be surprised when she doesn't want to go to bed before midnight!This kid needs less sleep than the others and you should conform to that.Let her sleep 1 hour or 1:30 but no more.Trust me,she will feel a bit more tired in the evening.Go out more often than once a day or when you go,stay out for longer time.Get her with you when you go to the shop.She also needs friends.Meet her with some neighbours' kids and let them play.Then in the evening don't make her go to bed too early.She may stay until 10 in the evening and it's not a problem.In the end if she cannot sleep,say her "goodnoght" and leave some books with pictures with her.Or let her play her favourite cassette on the headgear(connected to the cassette recorder).Or tell her to think about something interesting and finally leave her in her room and go to yours.When she grows up a little,you can find some courses to make her go to,like swimming(if the trainer is ready and equipped to train so young kid).If you need more information or ideas and suggestions about all that,write me a letter - [e-mail]

Answer 4

hi there .....been here before ,im sure you will get this under control i managd so you can to ,first i removed all sweets that had colouring ,all the E numbers that you find in sweets ,(im in the uk )that got rid of some of the problem then i moved her tea time to 5pm ,this might sound strange but for some reason that worked ,after tea time they all went and played for a while til around 6pm then id start the night routine of slowing things down around them ,getting the colouring book out and doing some with her , get them to put there pyjamas on the radaitor for after the bath nice warm bath ,let the kids decide what warm drink they wanted after there bath ,bathed the kids then down stairs and had there drinks or what ever they wanted then up to bed ,and read them a bed time story ,if they wouldnt behave then no story ,and this is where it can get hard but they really do lke there bedtime story ,honestly this will work you have to get her into a routine ,once you start this i would expect you to have her in her bed and sleeping by 8pm within a week ,oh the other thing i did was a chart that everytime they went to bed and there was no nonsence they got a sticker on this chart and at the end of the week they got a suprize .......that works a charm as well .......good luck and im sure she will be sleeping at 8pm soon take care x

Answer 5

Don't let her wake up at 8 a.m. and DON'T GIVE HER NYQUIL. What an absolute stupid suggestion. I'm in the medical field and that's idiotic.

Get her up @ 7 am to start with. Parents always say my kid won't go to bed until 11 pm but you have to get her butt into bed. After 9 pm there is no food, tv, stories, books or playing.

I have one friend that says the EXACT same thing you are saying. The only thing is that when their 2 baby daughters go to grandmas for a few days, gma and grandpa don't mess around. They take 1/2 hour nap every day and they go to bed at 9 pm like clock work. When they get back home there's no routine and the party begins again. When they are with the parents they tend to be bratty and demanding and spoiled. With grandma and grandpa they are a joy. Your supposed to be running the show, not your 2 year old.

Growth hormone is released in certain stages of deep sleep and sleep is important. If she has bad sleep habits now, God help her when school starts.

It always makes me so mad when I go to a store and at 11 pm or midnight I see young kids in their with their parents. Parents should be hit over the head.

Your right, living in an apartment is tough but if you can't control your kid now, you'll never control them. Be firm and demanding and don't be the cool mom, be the good mom. I'm sure you'll do great.

Answer 6

I have a 7 yr old that is the same way PLUS he is an EATING MACHINE!!! LOL Eats constantly!

We think he his packing it away because school for him starts next week! He won't be able to graze all day long! LOL

YOU might want to remove all excess sugars from her diet. That causes these energy boosts.

Start by putting her to be an hour earlier for a week or so. Then 2 hours earlier. That might work. Making HER think she is staying up longer when in fact shes not!

Get into a bedtime routine. Bath, TV show, Movie, DVD and Reading. Slowing down your day routine. Lower or shut off the lights, turn the TV volume down LOW, play soft music, YOU getting into your jammies etc.

CPS shouldn't be called just because you are parenting your child! Screaming is a part of life. You should hear it here when I wash the 7 yr olds hair! YOU'D swear we were killing him!!!

Answer 7

You are right, two year olds are directly related to the Energizer bunny. She may not go to sleep but you must put her to bed at the same time every night. Set a timer and allow her to play with the toys on her bed or look at books on her bed. When the timer goes off you must turn off the light. Try to have the same routine every night. A glass of milk (no sugary juices), brush her teeth, read two books, she can play on her bed until the timer goes off, then the light is turned off. Kids love routine even if they don't know it. Be consistent. This will work.

Answer 8

I have twin 2 year olds myself. I know what you are dealing with.

Get a routine. The sooner you get in one, she will know when bedtime is. Tell her at 7pm that in an hour she will go to bed. Then give her a bath. Some baby soaps have relaxing ingredients that will help. Read her a story in bed. it will also relax her and get her sleepy. then give her a kiss and at 8pm leave the room. If she gets up, put her back in bed. She will get the hint and go to sleep. It may take a while for the first week but it will work.

Answer 9

Do you have a bedtime routine? Bath, jammies, storytime? Something like that? This could help signal to her that it's time to calm down and go to sleep. Put some lavender oil in her bath or use those lavender soaps.....they are supposed to help relax you.

Does she sleep in a crib or a toddler bed or a big bed? Is it possible for you to lay down with her and rub her back or sing to her to help her relax and go to sleep?

Have you tried telling her it is "quiet time" and she can be awake in her bed quietly looking at picture books but can't be up running around? Maybe she would nod off if she were laying in bed doing a quiet activity?

Answer 10

i have a 1 year old and its just as bad. routine is the key, and a bit of cruelty, unfortunately. it takes some discipline, but it took about a week to work with mine. you give her her dinner, bath her, and put her in bed with a bottle/juice, turn the light of and close the door. if she cries, wiat 10 minutes, go in and tell her you are still these but she is not getting out of bed. after that do not go back. it will be hard and it will take a few nights but believe me, it is worth it. you will be equipping her with an essential life skill, the ability and independance to self soothe. dont mind the neighbours, any CPS agent in their right mind knows that 2 year olds cry and throw tantrums, it is not your fault and its not abusing her, its normal.