The only way our 2 year old son goes to sleep is if someone lies beside him and he can play with their hair. Then if he wakes up in the middle of the night obviously no one is there and he becomes really unsettled and wont fall back over till someone lies beside him again. we have tried ignoring his cries but he doesn't give in he is a stubborn wee bugger.
2007-12-19 10:04:39 · 18 answers · asked by kris d 1 in Pregnancy & Parenting ➔ Toddler & Preschooler
omg this is awful mines even worse he sleeps with me his dads been kicked out of the bed cos of him
2007-12-19 10:07:32 · answer #1 · answered by loopy_lisa_liverpool 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋
He'll grow out of it eventually. My son was like that at two - he really was scared of going to sleep on his own. Gradually he would accept me just holding his hand rather than lying down, which was easier. Then he asked for his baby brother to sleep in his room -he said he hated being alone at night, but if he heard someone else breathing it would be OK. That did make a huge difference.
I look back on those days with nostalgia, now... they last such a short time. Enjoy the closeness while it happens, time rushes by much too fast when you have children.
2007-12-20 15:00:03 · answer #2 · answered by Kukana 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
What about a boy-doll with nice hair? At least he wont be alone then. The trick is to get a routine going that pleases all of you so you will have to break this habit and replace it with a new one - bit obvious I know. If you let him choose his boy-doll then lie it beside him while you read a story or something, then he might establish a routine with the doll rather than a parent. My son wouldn't sleep without 'piggy' who was a hand puppet who went everywhere with us - I had to make a complete prat of myself with it. My daughter likes a doll and cuddles it all night. They all like something to cling to at night.
2007-12-19 18:18:37 · answer #3 · answered by AUNTY EM 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Stuborness gets worse over time, especially if you give if. He will know at what point you will break. I did this with my daughter when I no longer could handle singing her to sleep. The first night is always the worst. She cried forever and it was so hard not to go into her room and check in on her. I had to break at one point, so I did. I checked on her to make sure she was okay, but I didnt pick her up. I was stern and set in my way. The first night was easily 45 minutes. Second night, half hour. Third night 15 minutes. Fourth night............NOTHING! It was perfect.
Just realize that when you no longer have to tend to your son at night, your life will be a whole world easier! Any youll get much needed you time. Afterall, you dont want your son needing you like this when he is in middle school. :-)
I hope this helps. Its hard, but the end result is well worth it!
GOODLUCK!
2007-12-19 18:18:09 · answer #4 · answered by amanda 1 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Step by step: week one- just lie near but keep your hair far. Try to find a replacement ( my little one loving labels on the blankets. It is a nightmare to find that thing in the middle of the night)
week two - if you reach that and didn't fed up with all that will come: Be strong and think that you are the boss because you are older ;)
2007-12-19 18:11:57 · answer #5 · answered by Everona97 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
OMG. Brings back so many memories. Very frustrating and tiring. He used to wake up as soon as I started to walk out of the room without fail! He had a routine of bathtime, storytime then bed, but nothing seemed to work. My son used to throw awful tantrums to the point where he wouldn't calm down once he knew he was alone. He started to go to sleep on his own without any fuss once he started to share a room with his younger sibling. I think he was a little lonely before.
2007-12-19 18:09:11 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
You've had a few good answers for this question involving routine - which I must say is essential for children at such a young age! The idea of bath, bed, story, sleep is a really good one that I have used with a lot of children I have worked with although can be hard to impliment at first. If you chose to do that it will normally involve a few sleepless nights, battles to get him into bed and it probably won't help you too much with the needing someone with hime problem you've asked for help with! Although is an exclent habbit to get into at an early age if you can.
For you the one thing that springs to mind is slowly trying to disstance yourself from him as he is falling asleep, so in stead of lying next to him, sit next to him on the bed. The next night sit a little further away, getting further away each night getting nearer to the door each time, until you should just be able to leave him to go to sleep with out you there! However I know this isn't going to be easy - any habbit like that is really hard to break! It's very easy to make it sound like it could be easy but I promise it won't be but with hard work it is something you can acheive and I'm sure if you get your son going to sleep by himself it will be worth it in the long run! Hopefully because you are still in the room with him you won't have too much trouble.
When you are sitting with him, don't look at him and don't talk to him, I know this sounds very heartless but he needs to learn that it is time to go to sleep. You just need to sit there which I know will be really hard if he gets upset but you are trying to help him get into a good sleep pattern which will prove life saving in a few years time when you are trying to get him ready from school in the mornings!!!
On a more practical note you mentioned he likes to play with someones hair. Maybe you could get him a toy with hair that he could play with maybe he could get a very special rag doll or a toy from father christmas to help him go to sleep!
Good luck and I hope this helps you.
Lou
2007-12-21 17:13:16 · answer #7 · answered by Lou 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I had one like that but I gradually worked my way out of it by saying I would sit on the top of the stairs until she fell asleep, then creep down a step each night. I wish I had been more firm instead, its not to late at age 2 put a stop to it otherwise its a rod for your back.
2007-12-19 18:17:54 · answer #8 · answered by Purple triangle 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
drug him. no? OK, I think the real answer is you have to keep putting him back in his own bed repeatedly without lying down with him. Reassure him but be firm in that he can do this. praise the heck out of him when he makes it thru the night without crying and disrupting the rest of the family.
this will go on for a while so good luck. it's easier to give in but worth your efforts to not allow him to do this
2007-12-19 18:16:07 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
like breaking most habits, just start not lying beside him, and dont stop not lying beside him. lol try spending some time lying or sitting on bed before Official Bedtime to ease into this. good luck. i always hated that bedtime was at the end of the day when i was worn out and exhausted....mom of 6 assures you that this too will pass
2007-12-19 18:14:14 · answer #10 · answered by hawaiikaren2001 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋
you could either just leave him to cry it out and it will get less and less each night, but that does pull on your heart strings and you have to be quite tough to do this or you can use the withdrawl method (NOTHING RUDE HONEST) 1st night or week lay on his bed but give him something else to hold/stoke, then change it to sitting on his bed, then sitting next to his bed on a chair, then each night just move yourself further and further away until you are out of the room, although this may take longer to acheive the result you want it is good for mums who cant see out the crying
2007-12-20 07:52:28 · answer #11 · answered by mumsrus 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋