this post was submitted on 01 Apr 2025
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Sorry more kid stuff:
spoiler
We were having SUCH a good run with bed time lately. But the last week has been rough and the last 2 nights hes been inconsolable screaming for +2 hours. Full temper tantrum. He doesn't wanna be held, doesn't wanna get out of the cot, only thing that sort of settles him is wiggles videos but obviously were not encouraging that right before bed. I know "everything is just a phase" and that its likely a new development milestone coming in, but jesus I'm over this one!He doesn't want to miss out on the party all parents have when kids go to bed.
When I was a kid I'd resist bed time because I didn't really feel safe that far away from my family. Once my parents went to bed that end of the house was safe, but when they were still up my bedroom felt very isolated. And the same thing happened in the morning - my sister and I would usually bring our clothes to the lounge room to get changed rather than be alone in our rooms.
If it is something like that he might be able to sleep closer to you and then move (or be moved) when you all go to bed? Or maybe if you have baby monitor you could set that back up so he feels more secure?
his room is just off the kitchen/lounge. he can deffo hear us walking around and cleaning up and stuff.
It's hard, for sure. I experimented with lots of stuff. There was an aquarium DVD with soft dreamy classical music that was mesmerising, and I used to play it before bed. It went for about 45 minutes and came to signal "bedtime" when it was over. They loved that until it stopped working and I never found a replacement :( I found a bath before bed was a no go, as they seemed refreshed and revitalised by it and were actually harder to get to settle. I also experimented with lavender oil spray (not the aerosol one, it doesn't smell nice) on the soft furnishings in the room or the straight oil on a cloth hanging near the bed, and lavender scented baby massage lotions administered via soothing back rub. I had night lights which cast patterns of slowly circling stars and moons or rippling water patterns on the roof. All of these things worked to varying degrees. Elder turned out to be a "rain noises and mood lighting" kinda guy. In the end Miniest was having none of it. Nothing but my presence would put her to sleep. I'd put her in her bed and go to mine, only to wake up later and find she'd snuck in during the night and fallen asleep with her foot touching my leg so she'd know I was there. Sometimes I'd carry her sleeping form back to her bed a few times, only to find each time she'd woken up and snuck back lol. It was destroying both our sleep so in the end I just gave up and allowed it. It's so hard sometimes, finding their little bedtime thing. No advice to offer really but boy do I hear you! I hope you find your Tiniest's bedtime something and your sanity and sleep doesn't suffer!
story time
We've been doing things to wear the boys out before bed. We have a beanbag we get them to run into, let them jump on the bed singing 'Monkeys on the bed' then do these muscle massages and books.
They don't need to do all of those before bed now and they're falling asleep a lot easier