im having trouble getting my 2 1/2 yr old to go to sleep?

Question

im only on my 2nd week of overnight visits with my son last week he didnt give me any problems going into his big boy bed(toddler bed) he isnt in one at home yet but his mom is getting him one for xmas tonight i put him to bed followed our routine pick up toys pj's brush teeth and into bed he slept about 2hrs and woke up and was upset not sure if he was afraid or just fighting sleep i tried laying in my bed with him he just wanted to get up and go i put him in his bed and layed in mine bt he still wanted to go i turned on tv and all he wanted to do was watch it i turned it off he cried now i pput him into bed and left the room hoping he will go to sleep am i a bad parent?

Answer 1

No, your not ..... it can be exhausting for a parent of a child/children that have problems sleeping...... I know first hand with many years of it and multiple children......
Try melatonin..... a supplement you'll find in the vitamin section. This is what your body naturally produces on it's own which makes us tired and able to sleep, but in a supplemental form. It is very safe....do the research yourself. You will be amazed at how well it works.....give just about 15 minutes before bed, read a story, say goodnight, lights out.......

Answer 2

A lot children will only sleep for about 8 hours at a time. So for the hours you said thats 8 hours but he'll need around 10-12 hours a day of sleep. Try to give him a nap during the day for an hour or two (usually right after lunch is good). He may not want to take a nap but put on a cartoon and have him lay down or read him a book and both of yall try to nap together. After his nap you can take him outside to play or give him something really productive and will use a lot of energy. Try making his bedtime around 8 or 9 this will make it a little longer after dinner and hopefully he can get a little more tired. You can also try giving him milk to drink with dinner or right after dinner as it has melatonin in it which is the natural hormone for your sleep wake cycle. Make sure his room is not to hot or stuffy as well.

Answer 3

No, you are certainly not a bad parent. You obviously care enough to find out how to help your child.
I think you are doing the right thing by putting him in his bed and leaving the room. Eventually, if you stick to your guns, he will develop a bedtime routine, and begin to expect that it will be the same every night.
When my kids each had this problem at about that age, I made them each a CD to listen to. It had songs that were familiar to them, and I arranged the songs so that each track got slower as they played. It seemed to help them relax.
Hope this helps a little. At the very least, just know that you are on the right path.

Answer 4

He might be going through a phase where he misses his mommy too much. He might need a night light or some of his favorite toys from his mother's house. You might be keeping him up later than he should be or he might be having nightmares. Maybe eating too close to bedtime.
You are not a bad parent. There are kids who love sleeping so much that they ask to go to bed. Then there are kids who fight sleep for no reason at all.
Keep trying to adapt to his needs without spoiling him.

Answer 5

never a bad parent. kids are a pain sometimes. i have two boys 3 year old and almost 2 year old. and i have a tv in each room. its a 13 inch and it is mounted to the wall. when they cant sleep i turn the tv on, volume low so i can still hear them, and i close the door behind me. dark room, and cartoons that sing, make them tired and they fall asleep in no time. once they fall asleep i quietly go in and put them in thier beds. never put them in your bed. that makes a bad habit for them, and you will never get any peace.

Answer 6

no you are not a bad parent it is alot of change for him it will take him time to get use to everything so just give it time

Answer 7

I had that same problem with my son and daughter, he will get out of it!