My 2 year old son won't go to bed......?

Question

he used to get himself to sleep and we could put him in his cot and he'd get himslef to sleep no problem. The last 4 nights as soon as we take him upstairs and put him in his cot he screams and screams, its so awful to hear him, I have let him cry it out today and let him scream for an hour and a half and he has now gone to sleep, i don't know if this is harming him tho. Has anyone else had this problem with children of the same age. We want to put him in a bed soon but he would never go to sleep then if he can get out of bed. Any advice to help us please.x

Answer 1

Same thing with my 2 year old. He was doing great then all of a sudden he went nuts when it was time for bed.
I set up a nightly routine with bath and he picks out 2 books. I read them we say prayer and then I get him a glass of water and some toilet paper. I would tuck him in and sit near his bed. If he started talking I would ssshhh him and tell him it is night night time. Every 4 days I would move myself closer out of the room. First 4 days by his bed. Second 4 days by the door. third 4 days down the hallway and that really helped. I don't do any of the sitting anymore. I just check on him about every 10 minutes and he does great.
It seems like a lot but it really helped me out!!!!
Good Luck because I know how crazy it is!!!

Answer 2

My 2 year old was the same, we used to just be able to put her down and she would fall asleep. Then one night she started to cry and keep shouting us back so we implemented a new step tot he routine where she picks herself a book for a story when we take her up and then I sit and read it for her. This has worked wonders,
Now after the story I just explain its time for sleep and say goodnight give her a kiss and tell her see you in the morning. Then I leave the room... we still had the calling back for a few nights at the start but not the crying which is less upsetting.
after around 3 or 4 nights she even stopped that and started falling asleep on her own again.
We now have no problems and she is normally asleep by 7.45 each night

Answer 3

I'm suffering from this problem myself only in my case I have a 2 year old and a 1 year old involved. My 2 year ols used to be so good we could put her down and she would sleep in her own cot all night but unfortunately her brother is a screamer and usually wakes up a couple of times during the night and as they share a room this wakes her up too. Have tried taking her into bed with us until she falls asleep which worked initially but now she doesn't even want to do that so what we end up doing is putting her brother to bed first wait until he screams himself to sleep then once she's fallen asleep put her down. I know I'm a bad mummy I am but I just wish they would go to sleep without all this.

Answer 4

Toddlers are creatures of habit and routine.

So set up a bedtime routine. First with bath and maybe a gentle massage.
Allow him to select bed time story books.
Read to him for 15 minutes him and then tuck him in to bed.
If he starts to talk tell him it is night night time.

Gradually move yourself away and out of the room.

You may have to experiment . First 2-3 days by his bed. Second 2-3 days by the door. and so forth down the hallway and that really helped.

This may seems to be a lot but it will really helped out!!!!
Good Luck because I know how crazy it is!!!

Answer 5

We had exactly the same thing. We let our son cry it out. Everyone said oh after three nights he will be fine. Oh no- 4 weeks later! NOw though he is very good about bedtime. A good bedtime routine is important and storytime calm time before you turn the light out. Don't put him in a big bed until you have sorted this as it is traumatic for them sometimes!
Crying out does not halm them if they are constantly checked. We would not survive without our Baby monitor!

Answer 6

OMG! I have this problem w/my 18 month old. Sometimes he wakes up in the middle of the night and won't go back to sleep. I give him a bath and lay him down. Sometimes I let him play with a few toys and talk his self to sleep. Other times I let him cry til he goes to sleep after making sure he's dry.

Answer 7

yes with both of mine my son was a nightmare. he slept on a materess at the side of my bed untill he was three and my daughter just cried out all nite. i started to get them into a routine by being in bed at a certain time and i put a telly and video player i their rooms. i let them watch it for half an hour and then switch it off. i put a few little toys on their beds and eventually they nod off. they are 4 and 3 now and sleep all nite. i have to wake them in the morning.

Answer 8

Just stick to what you are doing. You aren't harming him but if you give in and take him out of the bed he will know the screaming works and never stop! Don't give in. He will quickly realize it doesn't work and stop doing it.

Answer 9

I would think he has had a nightmare since you could put him in his cot with no problem but now he screams when you do.I really don't know,just my guess

Answer 10

I think a story before bed may help or a bath. You need to find something real quick that work before it becomes a routine to cry before bed everynight.