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At wit's end. Please help get my 3 and a half year old to sleep.?
As the title says, I need helping getting my 3 and a half year old to sleep. She isn't going to sleep til quite late at night (9pm at the earliest) it's Summer and daylight savings here in Australia which doesn't help, but some nights she isn't getting to sleep 'til 11pm and I am exhausted. I am tired of arguing with her every night and hate that I can't just have a happy house. She wants me to sleep with her but I have things to do AND being a single mother night time (kids' bed time) is the only time I get to myself. I don't have a problem with co-sleeping, if she wants to come into my bed later on/early morning (say at 3am or whatever) that's fine, but I really want her to sleep when she goes to bed, which is 7:30pm or at least stay in her room and have some 'quiet time' reading or whatever. I have two other kids and she often goes into their room and wakes them up/keeps them awake as well, so I end up having all three awake late at night and this includes one that will be starting school next month and an 19 month old.
She has a routine/schedule every night, dinner, bath, story, I have limited her tv watching as well, spend extra time with her during the day (though this isn't easy being a single mum and having two other children to attend to as well).
Please, any suggestions???? This has been going on for a while now, maybe 2 years and I am over it. I dread bed time.
I have tried a later bedtime but she just ends up being overtired. She doesn't nap, although some days she does have a 15-30 minute nap on the couch.
Believe me, I have tried many times to wear her out, but I think the problem might be she is so overtired and doesn't realise that she needs to sleep. It's like she fights it, all because she wants to be with me all the time. Lately, the only way she has gotten to sleep is on the couch while I watch tv, but even then it's late. If I lay down with her in my bed or even her own bed at say 8pm, she won't sleep. She just plays and talks and I have to keep telling her to go to sleep or I'll leave the room.
5 Answers
- DeborahLv 71 decade agoFavorite Answer
Keep up your night time routine with one exception don't let her in your bed. period. If she gets out put her right back. don't talk to her or stay with her when you do just put her in bed. follow through with what you have told her that you are leaving the room. she will probably wear you out at first but under no circumstances let her disturb her siblings or you during sleep time. when you put her to bed the first time make sure she understands that she is a big girl now and its time for sleep.If she stays in bed all night give her a sticker for a chart to mark the night she slept like a big girl then say after 5 stickers or so (you decide but at first make it an easy goal but not too easy) she gets a reward. Let her pick but I would give her three choices to make it easier for you. It could be something as simple as she gets to go to the grocery store with you. Another thought is does she have distractions in her room? If so remove them.hope this helps. I've been there before.
- flamered2003Lv 41 decade ago
Having a routine is the first step. Perhaps you could lay down with her for a few minutes, if she understands that she must lay still and go to sleep. Discuss this with her. Is there a way you could perhaps put up a baby gate to keep her in her room so she doesn't disturb the others? When she does get up put her back to bed and do not back down. Try playing soft music for her to sleep to. Maybe run a fan, the hum helps. I would quit daytime naps, and try to really wear her out during the day. She may not sleep very long, but its a good start. Set the rules, make sure she understands them, and stick to them. One more thing, make sure she is not eating or drinking any stimulants....no caffeine!
- GinaLv 51 decade ago
I have a daughter the same age and she will still have a nap in the afternoon sometimes then still be in bed by 7.30-8.00 at the latest. I think this is because she is at nursery every morning and it wears her out. I also keep her very active with cycling (with training wheels), running, jumping, walking with the dogs, going on her scooter, going to the park on swings and slides ect. All this activity wears her out and she is soooo ready to sleep at night. I know its hard when you have other children but involve them as well. Not only are you wearing them out but you are keeping them healthy and not overweight. They see exercise and being active as fun. Go out in the yard or an open space with a football and have a kick about. Even you mum! I get involved and get to act like a kid again.
Also watch what she eats. If its more junk than healthy (believe me we are all guilty of it from time to time) then maybe thats making her unable to wind down. Try putting a stair gate up at her bedroom door so she is unable to get to other rooms to wake the others up.
Also Ive been known to take privileges away from my daughter at this age. She damn well knows that if she plays me up that she will lose something she loves.
- 1 decade ago
7:30 is a super early bedtime. if I tired to get my 3 year old to bed at that time, I would have a losing battle for the next few hours as well.
does she still nap?
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- 5 years ago
he's 3...he would not get to refuse! do not enable him doze off on the settee and 11 is too late. Do a bedtime recurring, bath, snack, e book & cuddle, tuck him him, hug and kiss and that i respect you. tell him it truly is bedtime and he desires to bypass to sleep. tell him he's bypass stay in his mattress till morning. Be agency and AUTHORITATIVE, anticipate him to take heed to...don't wait and see if he will. you want to no longer supply him the alternative to take heed to or no longer! you're the ascertain, he's the youngster.
