Max used to be my champion sleeper. Of course it took us the first 9 months of his life to get him there but this kid could sleep.
He used to take 2 two hour naps AND would go to bed around 6 pm, sometimes we had to fight to keep him awake at 5:30 pm. He would usually sleep till about 6:30 am the next morning.
At around 15 months or some he went from 2 naps to just one. But they were great naps. He usually went down around 1:30 pm and would sleep till 3ish, sometimes even 4 pm. Around the time that Emma was born he started fighting naps all together and I can't remember the last time he took a nap in the middle of the day that wasn't in the car. The plus side of all that was that he was still going to sleep fairly early and getting up around the same time.
Ever since school has started he has been getting up early, 5:30ish am and in the last two weeks it has been impossible to get him to go to bed. Tonight for example I put him down about 7 pm and JUST got him to go to bed after almost 2 hours of fighting. He stands in his room and kicks the door, throws toys, screams and I mean SCREAMS - like Jason is coming to get me scream. If it weren't for Emma I would let him scream and cry and just fall asleep where he is but I have Emma and I don't want him to wake her because who knows if and when she will go back to sleep.
I don't know what to do, short of laying in there with him every night (which I really, really, really don't want to do) I am at a loss.
5 comments:
Hmmm tough one. Emily was a kid I could reason with. I would tell her, "You don't have to go to sleep, but you DO have to stay in your bed & read books". She would pass out every time. It worked like a charm.
I'm not sure what I would do about the tantrums he is throwing. So sorry - I don't have any advice. :(
That is what he used to do....I think we are just going to have to toughen up and ignore him and hope he comes around quickly. Thanks Val!
After seeing your post on facebook about the kids being asleep really early I started thinking...
Do they always go to bed that early? We started having an issue with Greg last year that he was getting so much sleep, he was a wreck in class. His teacher was the one that picked up on it. When they are babies, they definitely need a lot of sleep, but Max is in school all day, he comes home, eats then goes to bed. When does he see you? Em and Greg have always gone to bed at 8:30 at the earliest. 9:30 at the VERY latest which is very rare. They usually pop out of bed and generally pretty happy kids. Going to bed at 9 gives E&G 10 hours of sleep which is more than the recommended amount.
This is just my .02 cents. :)
No he definitly is needing the sleep. He doesn't nap, at home or in school and even the teacher says that he is very tired...fights to stay awake. Both of them have always been early risers. It doesn't matter if I put them to bed at 10 pm or 6 pm they are up at 6 sharp almost every morning. The sleep book I have recomends for 3-yr olds 11 to 14 hours of sleep (that is day and night combined). Since he doesn't nap I would really like him to get about 12 hours.
Emma fights to stay awake at 5:30 pm but I try not to put her to bed before 6 pm. Max gets home from school at 2:30 pm and we don't watch any tv until about 4 when I am getting dinner ready so we have some good time together after school.
As they get older I will adjust their bedtimes but right now I can tell he really needs it.
I appreciate the input...it always helps to hear how other mom's make it work for them!!! Keep the suggestions coming!! MWAH!
I think this is proof positive of the following:
#1 You cannot possibly cover all facets of human nature (especially children) in a book.
Alos, I think he is adjusting to his new schedule. He might be overly tired and that is why he is being grumpy. I don't know about you, but when I am on a new schedule and tired, I can be a real bitch.
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