Help me! I have a toddler who is a nocturnal nightmare. He will take a power nap @ 9pm and wake up at 12. Then he will crash at 3 and sleep till noon or later, unless I wake him up (in which he is a bear). Help!
2006-10-01 18:31:53 · 10 answers · asked by a_chickaboom02 2 in Pregnancy & Parenting ➔ Toddler & Preschooler
He needs a nap after lunch for at least an hour but I would say no more than 2 hours, then an earlier bedtime 8 pm at the latest. i wouldn't let him sleep past 7 in the morning either, better a bear then than not sleeping at midnight. Sounds like he's overtired and when kids get that way it is almost physically impossible for them to fall asleep and stay asleep. Then you just need to be firm and make him stay in bed. If he gets out of bed, take away favorite toys or special privileges the next day. My daughter went through a phase of getting up in the middle of the night and the threat of losing her stuffed animal to sleep with did the trick. For this to work of course you have to mean what you say and if you say get out of bed one more time and no TV tomorrow, you better do it or it will never work. Doing what you say and being consistent are key.
2006-10-02 07:22:27 · answer #1 · answered by disneychick 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Is he getting a short nap early in the afternoon ? Of course this isn't going to work if he sleeps until noon .Try waking him a bit earlier each morning . Plan an outing of fresh-air where he can run around and tire himself so that he's ready for a nap after lunch . When he wakes up from his nap -go with more "activities" to tire him out a little so that he is ready for bed at a decent hour , and stays asleep . Some toddlers sort of in-tune themselves to mom's schedule . If you are prone to staying up late-try not to let him hear any sounds that would indicate he is missing something . It could take a week ; or it could take days .You've got to work it , to work . Good luck .
2006-10-01 18:45:43 · answer #2 · answered by missmayzie 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Wake that little patootie up at 8 or earlier one morning, deal with him being a bear all morning. At noon, just after lunch, give him a little nap, just 45 minutes or so, then put his little self into bed at 8 pm, not 9.
Sometimes when they are overtired they can't sleep. Yeah, I know, sounds odd, but it's true.
2006-10-02 00:59:23 · answer #3 · answered by arewethereyet 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Ok doc told me to give my daughter a little night time meds so she could go to bed. What I did was turn everything off and unplug so the child could not plug it back in, then it's dark and they can't turn anything on eventually they will go back to sleep. Never let them take a nap after 7pm then they stay up all night. I went through this for a few weeks and making sure everything was off and can't be turned back on really helped and got my daughter back into her routine.
2006-10-01 19:34:35 · answer #4 · answered by medevilqueen 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
he's on a strange pattern that you need to change. Let him cry all night if necessary for a night or two...no naps after 3 pm. Put him to bed at 8 or 9 pm. It will drive you crazy for a few days...but you need to set him straight on sleeping
2006-10-01 18:38:42 · answer #5 · answered by kathy n 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
wow, that is interesting. Is he just not tired enough? If he sleeps at 3am, you need to wake him up way before 12, to change things. Keep him up the whole day til bed at 9. Hard work, but its going to take ur hard effort to fix this.
2006-10-01 18:34:48 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Get him up earlier, GEEZE...so he's "a bear" YOU are his parent it is YOUR job to deal with him being a bear. Also if he is napping during the day eliminate the nap.
2006-10-03 22:51:06 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I have nothing else to add. I totally agree with above. It's gonna suck for a few days but think of all the sleep that will come after that!!!!
2006-10-01 18:47:39 · answer #8 · answered by glitz_and_glitter 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
i feel your pain sister. but you have to endure the pain of him being a bear and make him stay up until a good time to lay him down good luck
2006-10-01 18:38:57 · answer #9 · answered by chrisarea_99 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I totally agree with all three comments before me. Don't let your child run your life, they have to listen to you, you're the boss.
2006-10-01 18:41:32 · answer #10 · answered by Sunny 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋