...can you help me?  Rhys is almost 20 months old, and has been a fab sleeper since he was weeks old.  He goes down around 7:30 and sleeps until about 8:30.  We put him in his cot awake, and he generally snuggles down and gets himself off to sleep.  However, since sunday my little angel has turned into a demon.  We put him in his cot, and he stands straight back up.  I lay him back down, walk out of the room, and the screams start  I leave him for a bit and go back in and cuddle him.  He cuddles in but won't let go when I try to put him in his cot.  When I finally pry him off, he screams and screams, and eventually gets himself into a hideous state where there's no way I can leave him as it's uncontrollable.  We've been taking him in to our room, and the only way we can get him in to his cot is if he's either asleep or very nearly there.  I have no idea why he's being like it!  The last few days it's been around half eight/nine he's been going down after an hour of tears and tantrums!

Does anyone have any suggestions on how to get him back in to his usual routine?  Thanks xx

Carly xxx

His imagination is starting to develop so he's clinging to you as you are safe as nothing scary happens when mummy's here, and even though his fears are totally irrational, they are very real to him which is why he wants a cuddle.

do you read him a story?

we broke the attachment with Lucy and Xander by reading them a story while they were in the cot with a bottle of warm milk and I/Kev would quietly read a story whilst sat in the darkened room while they drank it. Xander still asks for a bottle now on occasions!

Or buy him a new bedtime friend so he can snuggle in to them. Short term I'd try the story, but be prepared to abandon it for a while in favour of getting him sleepy before attempting put down. Better to get a settled calm toddler to sleep than to try to calm a hysterical one.

You could always try both.... new bedtime friend and warm milk in your bed while you read the story then scoop him to his bed when sleepy enough, then gradually do the processes in his room till he settles back to his former calm self again.

hugs to rhys

Jo x

Proud co CL of Mums Club July 09 and Mums of Babies 0-1

   

 

 

My DS is 2 tomorrow! and he went through this stage, i thinkits also a conbination of being scared aswell as excerting power. Its an age where they try to see what they can do and get away with.

Jos idea is also what we did with our DS. We have always read a book as part of the routine but i would then let him chose a nook to read in his cot. This was all it took for a couple o f week and and then he would still cry after that, so i would sit in his room with the light out though. i told him i was there. It soon stopped and he is back to normal.

I think the thing here is consistancy, so the same thing everynight, so that he know that it is YOU that is incontrol not him. I know that my DS would love to sleep in our bed not that he would actually sleep in there he would start mucking around. so i have to be strong and say no your bed is for sleeping. Its is a phase and i think you will find alot of children go through it. could also be a darkness thing, maybe a night light might help.

It is just a phase and it will pass. Hugs coz it feels like it will last forever but was only about 2 weeks!

Edited to say that also could it be that he is wondering what his sibling is doing. I would also before i but DS into his cot, take him into Lucys bedroom and show him Lucy sleeping in her cot to reinfornce my messsage about everyone havign there own place to sleep. and also..DS has blue bunny that he cant be without to fall asleep , someone bought him it when lucy was born and its his fave. beofre that he also had a another cuddly toy but it doesnt come close to the new bunny we have. o liekJo said maybe let him pick a new toy to take to bed with him. x

xxxx

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