So What! Wednesday
I'm linking up with Shannon from "Life After I Dew" today for her So What! Wednesday series. This week it's going to be a little different because I need some Mama advice so I'm incorporating my original blog into SWW style... If you have advice, please, please share it!
So What ~ if bedtime with Olivia lately has reduced us both to tears for the past several nights.
So What ~ if my first mistake was never letting her fall asleep on her own as an infant.
So What ~ if my second mistake is never letting her cry...not talking cry it out, I just mean cry a little.
So What ~ if this is coming back to bite my in the behind.
So What ~ if I lay in bed with her (she's in a full size bed) to get her to fall asleep.
So What ~ if every damn time I tried to get up after she was asleep last night she woke up.
So What ~ if it took me 3 hours to get her to bed last night on her own.
So What ~ if I was crying out of sheer frustration during bedtime for the last 2 nights.
So What ~ if I lost my temper because she just wouldn't!go!to!sleep!
So What ~ if I really, really need some advice on how to get my now 2 year old go to sleep on her own.
....so, if you can offer me advice, please do. I'm willing to try (almost) anything. Bedtime has become dreadful and it shouldn't be this way. I need to be able to put my daughter in her bed and have her fall asleep without screaming, crying, snotting etc. for hours.
9 comments:
I can tell you what we do with M, though she is still in her crib.
1) Books with Daddy
2) Jammies on/teethed brushed
3) Two more books with Mom and Dad
4) Lullaby and nights to all things she attached to that day.
5) Into crib
6) Back patting and shushing for 5 minutes or so.
7) Stop and see if there are protests.
8) if protests, repeat 6., If not, continue
9) Slowly and quietly move out of room
It sounds like you are against letting her "cry it out". That is the ONLY thing that worked for samaya. They behave this way because they know they can!! Samaya wad the same way then i gave in cuz everyone said u gotta let her cry it out cuz i was also frustrated in tears!! I tried everything before that and nothing worked...i did tackle this before converting her crib however. I refused to put her in a big girl bed until her bedtime behavior changed....since she has the freedom to get up you are going need to be stronger...uz if she keeps getting up you need to just put her back in jed say nothing except i love you (i cant remember the name of this technique) this can go on for hours and there will be screaming and tears but you cant give up!! Good luck!!
oh girl I'm full of advice!!! Usually it's unsolicited, so I'm soo glad you asked :)
I have to disagree with you, it is never a mistake to not let your daughter fall asleep on her own, so don't think of it like that. Same thing with never letting her cry it out. I disagree with the whole 'tough love' parenting style. I did attachment parenting and my son is the most well adjusted, well behaved, and happy 6 year old EVER :)
My advice to you is
1- hindsight is 20/20 so never look back on anything you did as a mistake.
2- Repetition is key. Your daughter is old enough to understand that her bedtime routine is going to be different now.
3- Put her to sleep in her bed. stay in her room until she falls asleep. in the pitch black dark. if she wakes up or tries to get out of bed, walk her back to the bed. repeat this over and over and over.
4- yes it might take 3 hrs the first few nights. I PROMISE it gets better. She will be more rested and happier and connect that. even at a young age
5- never cave, never change your method. just stick to the routine and she'll catch on.
good luck mama :)
Leah {Lovely Life of Leah}
Girl I wish I had advice - but all the advice in the world you can get will not = that it will work:) Each child is different. What I can offer is that a bedtime routine has REALLY helped our children. It goes like this - jammies, book reading in bed, prayers, kisses, lights out (followed by many times I need water, we forgot this/that, etc...) - sleeping is hard on EVERYONE. Hang in there mama.
Do you really want the advice because from the sound of it you may not like it... Truthfully let her cry it out put her in her room,& just let her cry she eventually will learn to sooth her self! The first few nights or that week may be rough but she will eventually stop crying all in all & start sleeping in her own bed! If she is big enough to get out of her own bed & open doors then keep putting her back to bed it may be a few rough nights for you too but hang it there it will work wonders I promise :)
Never let them see ya sweat. Stay firm. Stay consistant. same routine every night. It will all work out over time :)
So much agreeing with everyone else. Routine, consistency. The first night will suck. The second night will be WORSE. Maybe even the third yet. But just when you're going to give up, it will get better. I promise.
LB
www.accordingtol.com
So much agreeing with everyone else. Routine, consistency. The first night will suck. The second night will be WORSE. Maybe even the third yet. But just when you're going to give up, it will get better. I promise.
LB
www.accordingtol.com
CONSISTENCY. Whatever method you choose? Do not veer from it at all. This is the only thing that matters really, because kids thrive on consistency.
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