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Ode to Pee...
- Aug 14, 2008 at 10:40 AM
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- Comments (13) Total Views (213) Everyone can see this journal post.
Why is my kid suddenly refusing to sleep in his bed??? He's always been an excellent sleeper, a model for crib-time. But the last week, week & a half, he's been adamently protesting (by getting nakey and peeing in his bed) Here's our nightly ritual:
- 7:15 - get jams on, get milk ready.
- 7:20 - read 2 stories, sometimes 3, drink milk, snuggle
- 7:45 - head to crib.
Here's where it gets rough...
- 8:00 - check on him, he's naked and has peed all over his bed.
- 8:01 - change sheets, scramble to find a clean blankie, remove pillow and case and set out to dry, hope he hasn't peed on his stuffy....oh, he has. Take stuffy out to dry, amid protests from the damp 2 year old.
- 8:15 - back in mommy's bed snuggling, new diaper on, nakey proof jams secure. TV off. Quiet. The excuses begin - "mommy read. mommy milk. mommy play. mommy no nite-nite. mommy poop potty. mommy call al (his favourite song is You can Call me Al by Paul Simon). daddy's red car go? no mommy - go away. lucky (our dog) go? daddy's pillow, please? Over and over. I've never met a 2 year old with so many reasons NOT to go to sleep.
- 8:45 - he may drift off or he may still be awake. We try the crib again. A few nights he gets nakey a 2nd time. Running out of sheets. Frustration rising. WHY WON'T HE SLEEP! He's obviously tired - he can barely keep his eyes open!
WHAT DO I DO??? Why is he not sleeping, and why is he getting naked???? This is really really new, like I said, he's always been an AWESOME sleeper. Is it time to set up his big boy bed? Do I need to reajust his schedule so that he doesn't drink an hour before bed? Does he need a later bedtime? SHOULD I TRY DUCK TAPE ON HIS DIAPER???? Suggestions, please!!!
Comments:
Oh the joys of motherhood! First, try not to give him anything to drink 2 hours before bed...I know this will be hard because it differs from his usual routine...instead offer him sips, and just a few. Try starting his night time routine at 8, that 45 minutes might make a big difference, or if he naps during the day, shorten his nap time. The 2 y/o I babysit is having the same delimas about not wanted to go to sleep at night, so her parents have decided to cut her nap back from 2 hours to 1 hour, to see if that helps.
If nothing else works, try duct taping his diaper...that might help. I really think that if you limit his drinking 2 hours before bedtime, it will make a big difference. other than that just stay consistent...everytime he gets up put him back in his own bed! Good luck...hopefully everything goes back to the easy bed time!
I'm going to second Kim's advice...she basically said the exact same thing I was gonna say! Great minds think alike!!
I had a friend who had to duct tape her daughter's diaper on for the same reason. She was younger than Ben though. IMO, Ben is intentionally doing this so as to avoid going to bed. This might not be the popular answer but I'd get hard ass on him. Put a mattress cover down with a sheet over it and if he pees, he pees. It can't be fun to lay in your own pee all night. That's kind of mean though so maybe in this case, I'd do the duct tape.
The duct tape probably would help but he'll just find another way to push bedtime back. For these other excuses he'll come up with (and he will) you're just gonna have to let him scream/cry until he understands that it is BED TIME. Period.
We were having similar problems. We now give Noah his milk at 6:30. He gets a sip of water later, only if he asks. We also pushed bedtime back. He used to go down at 8, but now it's usually 8:45. Made a big difference for us. Hope it gets better soon!!
Maggie gets a small amount of milk 1 hour before bedtime,we also read 2 stories...but recently we had to change bedtime from 8pm to 9pm cause she just would not go to bed .Now she goes right to bed and sleeps the whole night thru till 730am.Of course now i probably jinxed it ...lol
Maybe its time to start potty training?good luck.......oh the hurdles we endure!
I'd agree with moving the bedtime a little later. Sam doesn't go to bed until about 8:30. Now, he often wakes up at 11:00 and wants in bed with me, but that's MY issue, not necessarily his! LOL Good luck!
I like the duct tape idea, personally...that is the first thing that would cross my mind :) We have been stuck with X in our bed since he got his 2-year molars and I was too pregnant to pick him up and put him in his bed. I don't know what to tell you, except you have my sympathy.
Some good advice on here. I agree with offering the milk earlier. We don't allow the girls anything 2 hours before bedtime. I would not put him to bed any later. 8 is a good bed time. Is he napping. I saw someone suggested to shorten those. That might be an idea. Good luck. Since we bought the new house Katie crawls in bed with us a few nights a week. I don't mind that, but ofcourse she is not peeing in her bed either.
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Not only are we the same person, most recently evidenced by having kid pee/poop and not sleeping issues, but we both decided to journal about it. LOL. I still wish I had advice, but alas, I don't. I will take the advice you get and file it away for the day I have the exact same problem, as you know I will!
- atardino
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