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courtneyp102

My 2 year old wont stay in bed! help!

courtneyp102
17 years ago

My husband and I are having major issues getting out 2 year old son to stay in bed. He has always slept in his own room, in his own bed with NO problem since the day he was brought home from the hospital. It gives me and my husband quiet time and time to get things done around the house without a 2 year old messing up behind us! haha! Here in the past month we have had the hardest time even getting him to sleep. It all started after he came home from being in the hospital for one night with a stomach virus. We have tried everything! We do the normal bed routine, dinner, play time inside (movie, trains, books, etc..nothing to upbeat) and then bath..a little tv and bedtime around 8:00-8:30. Then I go in to lay him down and rock and we listen to music. The way I have done it since day one! I would rock him for about 3-5 min lay him down, asleep or not, and he would go right to sleep with jsut listening to his music. Now, I do everything the same..But I stand up from the rocking chair with him and it starts! Screaming and Crying! I don't even get him laid in his bed before this starts! I contine to go and lay him down, and tell him goodnight, but im not even turned around before he is following me out of the room. I immeditaly turn around walk him back to his bed and tuck him in again. After doing this 2 or 3 times I can usually get him to stay in bed, but the crying doesn't stop and by the time I shut the door hes back up. Ive tried to "crying it out" method, but it doesn't work. He will cry for hours. Screaming and banging and knocking on the door. I tried a few times to let him lay in bed and watch a short movie, but I would have to trick him and say "I will be right back" to get out of his room and he would go on to sleep. That lasted about 2 nights until he caught on. Then, we tried a longer movie and letting him cry, this worked for a little while, now, the movie will go off, and my son is up. I have tried the whole don't say a word just put him back in bed..doesn't work. jumps right back up! But the weird thing, we can lay him down on the couch, and my husband and I can go outside on the deck, in our room to bed, cook, clean, anything and he will lay on that couch and pass out asleep! NO matter if we are beside him or not. He will be gone to the world asleep and then we try to lay him down in his room, as soon as he hits that bed..BACK UP CRYING! and I really don't want to start with the whole sleeping with us deal, since he has done so good with sleeping in his own room. At first we thought it might be something in his room scaring him..or maybe the light outside his window..so, he has room darkening blinds, and a night light..Didn't work. Then he went to stay with his grandparents and did the same exact thing..so we knew it wasn't his room at our house. It usually takes us till about 1am to get him in bed settled somewhere. My husband gives into him and ends up going and letting him come to bed with us, or on the couch. Which makes me feel liek the work I have done is no good anymore. We can't even get himt o lay down for a nap anymore. He takes his nap on the couch. Im afirad of just letting him cry it out as well because I don't want him to sit at his door and cry and fall asleep on the floor. We ahve also tried leaving his door open. He won't come out of his room, but he does stand at his door and cry for us. PLEASE HELP! I don't want to dread bedtime any longer!

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