getting toddler to stay in bed and go to sleep!!

Hello all,
This is a problem the wife and I have been working on for a few months
now. We have to children both of whom slept in out bed pretty much from
birth till the next child came along. With my oldest it was a bit of a
problem getting her to sleep in her own "Big Girl" bed but we did a good job
of talking it up to her and I would lay with her for awhile and she would
fall asleep. At first she would wake up a few times but within a month or
so she was sleeping through the night without to many problems.
Next was my son. He has slept with us since birth but we are expecting a
new baby in May so we got him a "Big Boy" bed and started the process of
getting him in his own bed. This has proven to be the most draining and
frustrating task I have ever undertaken. He will not stay in his bed.
Unless you stay in bed with him he will not go to sleep and then once he is
asleep he wakes 2-4 times a night crying and carrying on until someone goes
in and lays down with him. We have tried several different "tactics" in
getting him to 1) stay in bed and 2) go to sleep and stay asleep but nothing
has worked. He is about 19 months old and I do remember that my daughter
was more communicative than he is (she was starting to talk at around 12-14
months...my son is just starting to add more sounds and inflections into his
bable, occasionally throwing out "Car", NO, and a limited number of sounds
similar to those). What can we do to get him to stay in bed and sleep on
his own? I have not had a full nights sleep in almost 4 years and with the
new baby coming I would like to get this under control so that we might
sleep a little before it starts all over again. Please, any help would be
great.

Thank you,


Gettin No Sleep

Keith Mitchell wrote:

Hello all,
This is a problem the wife and I have been working on for a few months
now. We have to children both of whom slept in out bed pretty much from
birth till the next child came along. With my oldest it was a bit of a
problem getting her to sleep in her own "Big Girl" bed but we did a good job
of talking it up to her and I would lay with her for awhile and she would
fall asleep. At first she would wake up a few times but within a month or
so she was sleeping through the night without to many problems.
Next was my son. He has slept with us since birth but we are expecting a
new baby in May so we got him a "Big Boy" bed and started the process of
getting him in his own bed. This has proven to be the most draining and
frustrating task I have ever undertaken. He will not stay in his bed.
Unless you stay in bed with him he will not go to sleep and then once he is
asleep he wakes 2-4 times a night crying and carrying on until someone goes
in and lays down with him. We have tried several different "tactics" in
getting him to 1) stay in bed and 2) go to sleep and stay asleep but nothing
has worked. He is about 19 months old and I do remember that my daughter
was more communicative than he is (she was starting to talk at around 12-14
months...my son is just starting to add more sounds and inflections into his
bable, occasionally throwing out "Car", NO, and a limited number of sounds
similar to those). What can we do to get him to stay in bed and sleep on
his own? I have not had a full nights sleep in almost 4 years and with the
new baby coming I would like to get this under control so that we might
sleep a little before it starts all over again. Please, any help would be
great.

Thank you,

Gettin No Sleep
-------------------------
Anything the child has trouble doing he is not yet developed enough
to do. You are neglecting this simple fact. Children are NOT the
same, they are all different, but they need respect for their feelings,
not tacit neglect and dismissiveness. If you don't give them what they
require now, they will not grow up as well or as rapidly as they would
otherwise. This means you'll have MORE trouble with them LATER! It
is well worth it to you do bite the bullet now and let him sleep with
you or near you as long as he needs to, so that he won't manifest
worse and more deep seated issues of trust in you later!! Children
are NOT conniving, they aren't that bright yet, they simply tell
you what they need, IF you'll listen to them!
Steve