I am at my wits end with Belle and her sleeping. I need some help. For the past couple of months or more she takes forever to fall asleep. I will put her to bed at 7:30 and she hangs out in her room and won't fall asleep until 9:30 or so! She doesn't cry (usually). The girl has no toys, no books, and minimal things to mess with in her room. She runs around her room, sits on her side table, kicks the wall, jumps on the bed....etc, etc.
I have spanked. I have tried bribing. I have tried warm milk. I have tried movies at night. I have tried scratching her back. I have tried everything!
I am not ready to give up her nap, and I don't think she is. She has missed naps and is a disaster! She can't even make it much beyond 5:30 without needing to fall asleep. The girl needs them, but I don't let her sleep past 3.
The length of her naps don't make a difference. Whether she sleeps one hour or 3, she still struggles to fall asleep at night.
The fact is that Belle cannot settle down to fall asleep and I don't know why. I know that everyone says she is going through a transition with the new sister, but it's been over two months. Meanwhile, I am up till 11 or later trying to get Evie to sleep.
Please! Help me! I am losing my mind! She needs to sleep and I need a break!
Friday, December 30, 2011
HELP!!
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3 comments:
Have you tried letting her listen to soft music? That's helped some with my 3 yr old. He's not napping anymore now...it was too much of a battle for me to get him to take a nap. I'd try limiting her nap to an hour long and see if that helps, too. I read a book called "Parenting with Love and Logic" that was really good too. They said that going to sleep is something you can't force a kid to do, but you can tell them they need to be quiet and in their room and that it's mommy time. As long as they are quiet and in their room, there's not much else you can do.
Oh my, it sounds like we are both going through the same thing! Both my boys 2 1/2yr & 5yrs have been giving me problems at night and they never used to. I could put them in bed and they would be asleep by 8pm. Now I'm lucky if I can get them to fall asleep by midnight! I talked to their doctors and they suggested a Homeopathic remedy called "Hyland's CALMS for Kids" and even sleepy time tea. I haven't tried the tea, but at least the remedy has helped some. :) Sorry I don't have anymore tips.
My best advice to you is this...stop trying to get her to do something that she just isn't going to do. My daughter (who is 18 now) had the very same trouble...and I tried everything too...and was at my wits end until I realized...this kid is just a night owl personality and to get her do do something she wasn't ready to do on her own was only causeing frustration and headaches for one person..ME! As long as she is not hurting herself with anything and not breaking down the door (hmmmm...my daughter did do that...) then just give in and go with it the best you can. I know it is hard and routines are always better but sometimes trying to make a routine is harder than just shifting to a new flexible routine...a new baby has brought a whole new perspective into your daughters life and she might not even be able to understand that herself or share what she is feeling...so with all that...just say a prayer and give her hug good night. :-) FYI-my 18 year old fought going to bed from the time she was 2 years old...and to this day she still goes to bed very late...and wants to be a nurse who works the nightshift...go figure! It's just part of who they are!
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