How do I get my 27 month old son to go to bed without a throwing a fit?

Question

He used to be the perfect sleeper. He would take naps without problems and go to bed without a fuss. Over the past two weeks he has started screaming when we leave the room and will stand in his crib and yell. Why the transformation?

Answer 1

My son after he hot 2 we use to have a hard time putting him to sleep and sleeping through the night. I was alreday a trained owl. Put try this...

To get him to go to sleep, start by reducing the stimulation he's exposed to during the day.

Make sure he gets lots of exercise — which hikes up the amount of serotonin in his body — but keep energy-draining activities at a minimum. If you have a jam-packed day filled with shopping errands, a trip to the zoo, and a play date, you're headed for a difficult tour of duty during bedtime. All that activity boosts the level of cortisol and other stress hormones in his system, making it difficult for him to wind down when it's time for sleep. Watching television also kicks in stress hormones in his body, so you may want to monitor this as well.

Around dinnertime start notching the activity level down. Turn off the stereo and television, give him a warm and soothing bath, and read him some bedtime stories. Keep his bedtime routine predictable, and expect that it'll take at least an hour for him to get tired and relaxed enough to head off to dreamland.

While he settles in for the night, stay close. You can use this time to catch up on your mail, fold laundry, or pay bills, but stay within his sight. Let him know that this isn't playtime or talking time, that you expect him to go to sleep, but that you'll keep him company while he does. It may feel frustrating to have to delay the onset of your post-bedtime free time, but remind yourself that you're helping build his sense of security and emotional connection to you. In the long run, this is what'll most help your child manage his emotions and learn to fall asleep on his own.

Answer 2

I had some difficulty with my son going to bed at that age. Maybe something scared him. Could be even a cracked window howling or, believe it or not, a sock on the floor. Make sure he has a great night light. Also children who take naps tend to sleep better at night. Maybe a new bedset would help he's 2 he may not want to be in a crib anymore. They have lots of cool tot beds now. Pick his favorite character and get him a new blanket set (One for big boys) he may be more apt to lay down like a big boy at least for falling asleep. My son is now four and regrettably about 4 am he still crawls into my bed. Good Luck!

Answer 3

As a person, who had an 8 month old I dreaded putting to sleep, the routine that others have mentioned is the best. You will probably have to let him cry it out, as hard as it is. Kids are smart and he will cry every time you put him to bed if your respond to it. You can try a twin bed and make a big deal about big boys going into a big boy bed. The routine is a great time to have some 1 to 1 time with him. With my little one who is almost two, I lie in bed with him for a few minutes while he settles himself down. When I leave he goes to sleep. Sometimes we allow him to have a book to look at if he asks. The other great part of a routine, that no matter wear you go or who watches him, he will go to bed pretty well. When I started the routine, my son cried a while and it gradually decreased. The routine is the key!!!!

Answer 4

Your two year old son is going through a transformation. It's called "the terrible twos". That's the age in which they become cognitive and find ways of testing you. It's sort of similar to when the baby throws the spoon on the floor, you pick it up, and they thow it on the floor again.

A good way of putting your child to bed is to start reading to them. It programs them into playing time. I'd have toys on the floor to play with and coloring books to color in the bedroom. My mom would have a play projector on the wall and make hand puppet gestures on the bedroom wall. It was amusing. That's how she tricked me into sleeping, because we would play until I got really tired.

Also, the appropriate nap time for babies would be around 2 through 3 p.m. which is only an hour. If you lower the lighting in the house but keep the bedroom really lit, the child would prefer the brighter room because darkness seems a bit menacing.

Try it and if it doesn't work, then I failed as a fun babysitter.

Answer 5

I don't know, my son is 27 months also and he started the same thing about a month ago. I do spend about 10 minutes each night rubbing his back and talking to him softly. Usually, I recap the day, tell him how many people love him, and let him know what we're doing tomorrow. Sometimes if I repeat a rhythmic phrase over and over ("Always someone to take care of this boy") he will drift off to sleep. It depends how tired he is.Then I leave the room. Sometimes he cries not at all, sometimes a little, and sometimes alot. But, he's got to learn to go to sleep by himself. Unfortunately my son can't talk yet (he's in speech therapy) so if he were afraid of the dark or something, I could talk to him about it.

Answer 6

I do not believe in rewards, but I do believe that compromises are the trick with kids.

About an hour before bedtime ask him/her this question. "Do you want to go to bed now, or do you want to sit here with Mom/Dad for a little bit". Then after an hour say "Ok, you got to stay up a little later then usual, so now you have to go to bed" and see what happens.

My Godson lived with me while his mother worked nights. He would do the same thing. In the end the compromises would work, or I would sit in the bedroom with him and talk to him. I would tell him to lay down in his crib and just tell him about my day, or something fun we were going to do the next day. I think its a comfort thing more then anything when they hit 2. They want to explore the world, but are afraid to be by themselves. So give that a shot. Just sit in there and wait a few minutes. If it means putting him/her to bed earlier then fine. Just find a routine.

Answer 7

I think that a consistant bedtime routine is the key with helping any child sooth themselves to sleep. Start off about an hour before his bedtime. Give him a nice warm bath, lotion him up with a lavender bedtime lotion, help him with brushing his teeth, nice comfy jammies on, then put him in his bed. Dim the lights and read him a story. My boys LOVE "Goodnight Moon" for their bedtime story. Then kiss him good night, tuck him in and leave the room. If he starts screaming, go back in once but DO NOT pick him up. Just talk to him in a quiet, hushed voice, maybe pat his back, then leave the room again. If there's nothing wrong with him (ie. pain, wet, etc...) then let him cry it out. I know it's heart wrenching to do this, but it is best for him in the long run and it won't take long for him to start soothing himself to sleep. Good luck with it all!!!

Answer 8

mine did all that too. i figured it to be separation anxiety. i listened to the tone of his crying. tears and all. pick him up to comfort him .after he quieted down huge and kisses. i would ask him if he was ready for his bed usually the answer was aw aw (yes).if no we cuddled a few minutes longer.sometimes he would just fall asleep in my arms. that's OK just a little reassurance is all they need. we got a toddler bed that helped him realize the big boy he is. we have a little ritual every night that helps. no TV an hour before bed reading and quiet time. he turns off TV when asked and goes to the bookshelf for his night time story. so far so good, but as with any two year old you never know how long it going to last. but for now its working. GOOD LUCK !! HAVE A LITTLE PATIENCE THE THREE'S ARE COMING

Answer 9

Because eventually YOU will go in and get him to stop the fit and he knows it. I suggest ending naps, so that he is tired at bed time. Have a regular night time routine, bath, jammies, tooth brushing story and lights out. Do not lie down with him just walk out. Let him scream, let him cry eventually he will settle himself down. You have to be consistent, everything the same all of the time...less television during the day, no television 1/2 hour before bedtime.

Answer 10

GOOD QUESTION!! I'm in the same boat with my 32 month old-except he's never wanted to take naps or anything.
I just tell him early on that after bath and singing and prayers he's going to bed like a big boy.
I tell him goodnight,give him kisses and to stay in bed.
sometimes it works--other times it feels like I'm gonna be up all night...but he usually gets the point after about 30-60 minutes.
It's just a independent thing I think.