Off MFP topic-but HELP with 2 yr old sleep habit

awelch79
awelch79 Posts: 233 Member
edited September 2024 in Chit-Chat
My two year old has been getting up at night between 4 and 420 EVERY MORNING for the last 2 weeks...he just walks into our bedroom like, "Hey Mom and Dad, time to get up!" We put him back in his bed and once or twice, he has stayed there. The rest of the time, he comes back in every 10-15 minutes until 6 am when I give in & let him watch cartoons in my bed while I try to catch a few more ZZzzzs (Which never happens bc every few seconds he screams "Wook, Mommie, Wook!" and wants to show me something thats happening on Handy Manny!
Im exhausted! Any ideas n why this might be happening or what I can do to put a STOP to it????

Some maybe important info...
He naps for around 2.5-3 hours a day, once in the afternoon, usually 1-4pm
He goes down at night between 8 and 9 (depending on when Daddie gets home from work so he can see him) & goes down pretty well.
Hes always been a great sleeper!

Replies

  • shagybear33
    shagybear33 Posts: 272
    My oldest son went through that phase. And no matter what we tried, for a good couple of months he kept waking up at stupid o'clock.

    Maybe try a doorknob cover and/or a digital clock and teach him that he has to stay in his room (if not go back to sleep) until a certain time. I didn't do this with my first, but wish I had! Some of my friend did it and it worked.

    The only good thing is that these middle of the night wakings only seem to be a phase.

    Sorry I wasn't much help. Good luck! :D
  • ybba12490
    ybba12490 Posts: 252
    maybe stretch out the time between his nap and what time you put him down for bed? Earlier nap or later bedtime, I would suggest
  • SLambertAlaska
    SLambertAlaska Posts: 197 Member
    I reccomend cutting back on his nap time - wake him up earlier. Thing is, you have to decide which is worse: a cranky kid who got woke up from his nap or kid awake too early in the morning. There will be LOTS of "phases" and hiccups like this. But the bright side is - he sleeps all night! You can consider yourself lucky in that regard. My youngest didn't until he was 4, so I spent 6 years getting up every night of my life. Teenagers have their own parenting issues, but at least they sleep until noon!
  • tanniew78
    tanniew78 Posts: 602 Member
    Shorter nap time and maybe a slightly later bedtime. I put mine to bed about 9 or 930 pm. Sleeps all the way through til 8 or so.
  • momma3sweetgirls
    momma3sweetgirls Posts: 743 Member
    Maybe try skipping the nap and putting him to bed earlier (7:30-8pm). My girls all stopped napping between 18 months and 2 years and then started sleeping like champs at night.

    Could he be getting his 2 year old molars? Sometimes it hurts just enough to wake them but not enough for them to complain of pain.
  • Charli666
    Charli666 Posts: 407
    Ok, not a parent here, but trained in parenting, just thought i'd throw that out there.

    A few things, that nap is majorly long for that time of day, for a two year old, i'd reccomend 1 and a half to 2 hours at about 12.30, this should ensure he is fully tired at bedtime.

    If you don't have blackout blinds in his room, get them, our bodies are designed to wake with light, so this could be whats getting him.

    Like Shagybear said, a digital clock, and teaching him to know what time it has to say before he gets up is a good one.

    Trying infant massage with lavender before bed can help to prolong sleep in children.

    Avoid drink later than an hour before bedtime unless its milk, as children can wake when they pass water, and this could be the cause.

    hope some of these help, its trial and error unfortunately, good luck
  • awelch79
    awelch79 Posts: 233 Member
    We use the digital clock for our 4 year olds "quiet time" ---she goes in her room at 1 (when he lays down for his nap) & she has to stay in there and play queitly (or lord forbid, NAP :noway: ) until her clock says 2...and it works wonders, but Conner JUST turned two three weeks ago & doesnt know his numbers yet.

    I will try to do earlier naps...and the no liquids, too. He usually carries his cup around from dinner until bedtime.

    Any other suggestions?
  • Charli666
    Charli666 Posts: 407
    We use the digital clock for our 4 year olds "quiet time" ---she goes in her room at 1 (when he lays down for his nap) & she has to stay in there and play queitly (or lord forbid, NAP :noway: ) until her clock says 2...and it works wonders, but Conner JUST turned two three weeks ago & doesnt know his numbers yet.

    I will try to do earlier naps...and the no liquids, too. He usually carries his cup around from dinner until bedtime.

    Any other suggestions?

    If he's only just two then yeah numbers wont be great yet, i've seen some people close a childs door for bedtime, then open it slightly when they can get up, but if you do this you need to explain to him that if he hurts, or smoke alarm beeps etc its ok to come out of his room, can be done with turning a night light on when its time to get up etc
  • awelch79
    awelch79 Posts: 233 Member
    We had a child proof door knob cover on the inside of his room until recently when he learned how to open it despite the lock!


    I remember seeing a nightlight advertised that was put on a timer and you could tell your child that they can only get up when the light comes on/goes off...has anyone else seen this? Of course, I dont remember what it was called or what show I saw it on!
  • shagybear33
    shagybear33 Posts: 272
    Maybe try skipping the nap and putting him to bed earlier (7:30-8pm). My girls all stopped napping between 18 months and 2 years and then started sleeping like champs at night.

    Could he be getting his 2 year old molars? Sometimes it hurts just enough to wake them but not enough for them to complain of pain.

    MOLARS!! Never even thought of that!!! Could definitely be it!!

    And yes, maybe the nap is interfering. My youngest stopped napping around 2 1/2 as well. But now that I think of it, the naps were starting to interefere with the length and quality of his night time sleep.

    Blackout blinds are a must!! We have them in our room as well.. hehe!
  • PNCTink
    PNCTink Posts: 232 Member
    I have no advice, but plenty of sympathy. My 2yo DS is going through the same phase right now. He sleeps in a crib still, but he wakes up at 4:15am yelling for us. He doesn't have a nap though, and goes to bed at 6:30pm. We've tried keeping him up later, but he still wakes up early. :sad:
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