Can anyone help with an not sleeping and eating two year old???

Question

My daughter has just gone from a cot to mattress on the floor. I can not keep her in bed, I have tried every thing i can think of. She keeps getting up and walking out to the lounge wanting to sleep in my bed or she wants me to sleep with her. I have tried the tough love metod where you let them sream and though tramums till she falls asleep but, she get too worked up and is sick everwhere. I have tried laying with her singing, reading and rubbing her back but she then play with it and will not sleep.
She also will not eat when with me. At day care she will eat the right amount for her age but at home she will eat very little.For example breakfest she will have 1/2 a piece of toast and that it,Lunch a very small tub of yogurt and 5 grapes. Dinner she will only eat the meat and if she does it will be only 4 small squares.I have tried giving her different foods but no luck. I cut down on her water and juice intake but that did not work.she only wieght 11kg and is 90cm tall,i need help.

Answer 1

rosey is right about the routine, and about knowing what to expect. I have the same experience, getting babies ,toddlers and children of all ages,temperamnet and stages of illness to go to sleep when it's time.
it's different at home though, we don't have the stresses that the parent does and we can go home at the end of the shift.
I had the sme problem with my children.with my son i gave up.........he was in and out of my bed until he was 4. i remember the moment I had had enough. my 4 year old had come into the bed sometime during the night.my 2 year old at about 5am. at 6am my 4 week old baby wanted a feed. my hubby grunted and rolled over,and I was squished into the side of the waterbed,breastfeeding the baby while they all slept on comfy.
I tried the controlled crying with no success,it was horrible experienc.
I ended up doing another teqnich,don't know what it is called.But attentionis what they are seeking,so I didnt give them any. when they came out for drink or loo or what am i doing etc i walked them back in........SAYING NOTHING,popped them back in,ignored the whine.NOEXPRESSION ON YOUR FACE is important,don't look happy to see them, but don't look angry iiether(damn hard) no reaction at all, which is hard the 16th time LOL But after 3 nights,my daughter only popped out 3 times,on the fourth night she gave up.It took a little longer about 2 weeks for my son(but hes stubborn ) but we go there.
it is easier than controlled crying, but still not as easy as it sounds. it is very hard not to react when you are tired and cranky but it does work,if you stick it out.

Answer 2

The best way to get a child to stay in its bed is the Dr Phil method of just putting them back without a word. Your daughter gets out of bed because you let her and you give her attention when she does. The first time she does it, say "No, Susie, we're going to bed", and then every time after that don't say a word. Just put her in bed. Period.

As far as food goes, she won't starve to death. If she's hungry enough, she will eat. Do not under any circumstances give in to her preferences by letting her eat only hotdogs or mac and cheese - not only is it insufficient nutrition, it teaches her poor eating habits and that she is the one in control. Remember that your daughter is two and children that age don't get to tell mommy what to make for dinner.

Present her with the same nutritious food mommy and daddy eat. Do not force her to eat it or to clean her plate, but don't give her anything else, either. After a while, she'll get the idea that she doens't get fruit snacks and juice for every meal.

Also, ask her daycare teachers what she eats at meals. They may say that she eats well there, but she might in fact only be eating the grapes and bread. Or she might be more content to eat what she's given because they don't have other options for her to ask for - kids at daycare all get the same meal and there are no alternative choices.

Be the parent and she will be the daughter. Good luck!

Answer 3

Sounds like something at home is bothering her or that she is sensing tension from you. (Children are very receptive to what parents are feeling)
What you should do is talk to her about why she doesnt want to sleep in her bed, and try to solve the problem. Maybe she thinks a monster lives there, or she is scared of the dark, or that she is going to have bad dreams. Lots of little children have phobias, but they can be over come.
With the food thing, maybe ask her what she would like to eat. When my god daughter went through this stage I worried that she was not eating enough, but I found two things she loved and I would keep these things in the fridge at her level so she could just reach in and get it when she was hungry. (Cheese slices and drinkable yogurt were her favorites.)
Also make sure when you have dinner time you have a routine, like setting the table, pouring the drinks, etc. and you keep the routine. She sees you eat, and is encouraged to eat. I know at the day cares I have worked at kids would say they werent hungry thinking they could do something else instead of eating, but our rules were that every one had to sit at the tables until the teachers had finished their food. (usually about 10-15 minutes) During that time the kids would usually eat something even if it was cheese and bread.

Answer 4

Hhmm, getting kids to sleep, that's a toughie alright. After working in a daycare, and hearing parents say they won't sleep, we would just nod. Most kids slept. We had techniques. A routine is thee biggest. The kids in daycare do well because they know what to expect. The consistency gives security. A bedtime routine is essential. Brushing teeth, bedtime story, saying prayers, whatever it may be, it should be the same every time. Sometimes a doll, or stuffed animal helps. Telling the child that its time for the animal to sleep also and maybe if your child could lie still and rub the back of the animal so it could fall asleep. Give it time, and be relaxed yourself, yet determined. We played "Enya" at the daycare, and alot of times the staff started to doze off. Good luck

Answer 5

Firstly, I would suggest putting her on a children's multivitamin. I have had to do that with my fussy eater. I would also look at her snack intake. It may be that she is grazing during the day, which is a good thing if it is healthy food. I found with my fussy eater that he wanted to graze instead of sitting down to a meal. so I would do begin the day by making a snack tray, of healthy foods. that way when he got hungry for something small there was always a good selections of healthy and ready food available. slowly I included some food that you may have at meal times.

He is three now, and slowly coming to eat at the table. I have always made him sit with us, but he showed no interest. the GPs I tried said that at that age it is because they need to graze often, because they need the constant energy for their running around.

As far as her sleeping goes, have you tried putting her in a bed, instead of a mattress on the floor? With both of my children, as an idea, we put the bed up and got them to help. Then we went to the shops and asked them to pick out what sort of big boy bedding they wanted for their big boy beds. this way they were more excited to go in the bed. every child handles this faze differently, and for one of mine we gave him a small torch and a book and asked him to lie quietly and read. without fail, everytime he didn't even turn a page.

there are some ideas for you, good luck....

Answer 6

Take her to her Dr. He should be able to tell you if shes getting enough nutrients in her diet. She may just be starting to establish her own ways and is turning into a picky eater. As far as her not wanting to sleep, trust me she will go to sleep sometime. Shes just fighting it right now. Soon she wont be able to help it and she will fall out where ever she lands. She sounds like a "normal" 2 year old to me.

Answer 7

Firstly since she is eating at daycare don't stress bout her not eating at home, no child has ever allowed themselves to starve to death.
With her sleeping you really need to do the controled crying. Don't give into her as then you have lost you have to stay stong.
Good Luck

Answer 8

no you can't et