Sleeping aid advice for toddlers?

[BrokeTheMoon]

Okay so that title may not be really clear. I'm not necessarily looking for anything witchy or even herbal (again I guess that's unclear too) but is there any advice to get a 2 year old to go to sleep?! She plays all day, but she just won't go to bed until like 11 pm and I get up at 5 for my school so I'm running on the E on my energy tank.

So...any parental advice? Is there maybe a candle I can get to light while we are calming down for bed downstairs, incense maybe?

Now usually once I tell people she won't go to bed they automatically say "put her back in her bed" well she crawls out AND knows how to open her door to come downstairs, so I've tried that.

Like I said, just looking for general advice, maybe little tricks. Maybe wrong board but I at least tried to find a place where it fit kind of...  

[kyndryana3]

What kind of night time routine do you do with her? Sometimes having a distinct 'getting ready for bed' routine can be very helpful. Do things the same way, so she starts learning that doing these things lead up to bed. At first I am sure it will still take work, but keep with it.

You could use a candle as part of your night time routine as well. I like lavender for calming, but you could also have her help you pick a scent she likes at the store. Tell her it is a special night time candle and only use it right before bed. You can light it and have her say a prayer or something she did that day that was special. If you want to make it a little magical you can tell her that lighting the candle is a signal to faeries (or the sandman, or God...whatever you think she would like best) that she is ready to go to sleep.

A warm bath before bed, can be calming, as can rubbing on some lotion. My son never had problems going to bed, but he loved when I would read to him at bed time. I don't know how much time you get to spend with her during the day, but having a little time just focused on her helps her feel secure and safe and reading can be calming.

I do agree with keep putting her back to bed. Kids learn the things we don't want them to quicker than the things we want them to. If you let her stay with you because you are tired of putting her back to bed she learns that eventually you will cave in and she just has to keep getting up.  

[X-Yami-no-Ko-X]

kyndryana3

I do agree with keep putting her back to bed. Kids learn the things we don't want them to quicker than the things we want them to. If you let her stay with you because you are tired of putting her back to bed she learns that eventually you will cave in and she just has to keep getting up.

I'm not a parent but I fully agree with this. Me and my sister knew how to play the game when we were growing up. My sister was confrontational and she knew if she stood up to our mom long enough she'd get what she wanted. I just went to Daddy. Hell. Our mom never wanted dogs. She eventually gave into that too. I still remember the day I found out we were getting a dog.  

[BrokeTheMoon]

kyndryana3

What kind of night time routine do you do with her? Sometimes having a distinct 'getting ready for bed' routine can be very helpful. Do things the same way, so she starts learning that doing these things lead up to bed. At first I am sure it will still take work, but keep with it.

Usually we will watch a movie before she goes to bed a nice relaxing movie that won't get her overly excited. I'll give her a bath using Johnson's Night Time bath and I have the lotion too and I'll sometimes use the lotion. Normally she goes to be at 8:00 and sometimes 7:30 when she doesn't have a nap. But she's just refused to take naps AND refuses to not go to bed until maybe 11:00.

Quote:

You could use a candle as part of your night time routine as well. I like lavender for calming, but you could also have her help you pick a scent she likes at the store. Tell her it is a special night time candle and only use it right before bed. You can light it and have her say a prayer or something she did that day that was special. If you want to make it a little magical you can tell her that lighting the candle is a signal to faeries (or the sandman, or God...whatever you think she would like best) that she is ready to go to sleep.

That's a good idea, I usually have a candle or two lit while we are watching the movie (which is usually on my computer so there's no chance of another movie coming on and stealing her attention). She'd probably like faeries out of those suggestions, but she's vocal, but not vocal enough to say a small prayer or anything like that.

Quote:

A warm bath before bed, can be calming, as can rubbing on some lotion. My son never had problems going to bed, but he loved when I would read to him at bed time. I don't know how much time you get to spend with her during the day, but having a little time just focused on her helps her feel secure and safe and reading can be calming.

She loves baths, but I think she feels more awake after taking them :/. She didn't use to have problems going to bed up until a couple of weeks ago. She can't sit still long enough to let me read her a book. I would try that the couple of times she woke up in the middle of the night and she would just push it out of my hands...

Quote:

I do agree with keep putting her back to bed. Kids learn the things we don't want them to quicker than the things we want them to. If you let her stay with you because you are tired of putting her back to bed she learns that eventually you will cave in and she just has to keep getting up.

I'll try and keep that up! Thank youu.