a call for help
11-21-08
Once again – the blog has been quiet all week! Yikes! I DO have a good excuse, however. Over last weekend our little brat angel decided to start climbing out of her crib. She also refuses to stay in her room. This applies to naptime and bedtime. We’ve tired sweet talking, threatning, etc…neither spectrum seems to work (go figure). I’m about to try a sticker chart for pete’s sake! I feel like I’m on Nanny911 ;) Any ideas other than barricading her door? (the thought has crossed my mind). We are moving her into her new bedroom and a “big girl” bed in a month – we would do it sooner but we are completely remodeling the new bedroom. None of us are getting much sleep at night, and her daytime naps have been a disaster to say the least. Yesterday she finally fell asleep on her hard bedroom floor, for an hour. Poor thing. Oh – and yes, we’ve tried letting her sleep with us (she used to co-sleep after all), and at night it’s working fine, but naptime is a joke. Besides the fact that it took us 18 months to get her to sleep in her own bed, and I really don’t want to fight that battle again.
Oh yeah – and we’ve heard the baby gate suggestion -it’s a no go. The kid can scale anything!
I’d love to hear your thoughts – esp from you veteran parents! It seems most my friends were lucky enough not have this issue, so I feel a bit lost. Please help a tired, cranky mom! :)
Here’s a recent shot of our little stinker:
Lauren wrote: Hi Summer! I love the fall picture of your little angel. :) We did a chart when we needed some reform in the sleep habits. http://www.hartfamilynyc.net/content/ice-cream . However I have to say that Zoe was a bit older, so maybe understood more what was at stake (getting a real, special ice cream night!) and the path to get there. It was very helpful to play the game that I mentioned in the post. It was also helpful to teach her how to relax for sleep (close her eyes gently, breathe slowly). Another thing is that Zoe still is an afternoon napper, but we have a dear friend who simply had had enough of the naps at 19 months, and never looked back... (11/21/08, 5:14 pm)
Callie wrote: THIS sweet angel is causing you to loose sleep!? :) Hope it's getting better soon! Wish I had more idea, but I may be calling you when "O" gets there! (11/21/08, 5:21 pm)
Sara C wrote: benedryl? ;) heehee JUST KIDDING!! The only thing I've heard to work is either SuperNanny's exhausting stake out - putting them in bed with a goodnight, darling (her words), 2nd time, simply a "goodnight", and the 3rd and repeated is just w/o a word. It *seems* that if you are consistent that it only takes a few nights. I can't imagine naptime. Poor thing sleeping on the hard floor, but at least she was in her room. ;) The only other thing I've heard work is to find something that matters to them and take it away or whatever, but this one also seems to add a whole lot of anxiety. Good luck, my dear!! I'm back to thinking, Benedryl? ;) heeheehee (11/21/08, 6:02 pm)
Penny wrote: been there done that..we should talk! Too much advice (experience) to write here..I'd be up all night :) Give me a ring, if you are still in search of answers. I can't guarantee I have the "right" answer-but I can atleast sympathize with you..remember my "darling" AJ-one whom can scale anything and everything-and with gusto!! okay..quit reading..you're losing sleep. Seriously tho..call me! I've missed seeing/talking to you anyway. :) GOOD LUCK!! (11/21/08, 11:13 pm)
LisaP wrote: Be consistent, consistent, consistent. And try not to lose your cool. Put her back in her room a million times if it takes it. I have been there. Sadie used to sleep right outside of the door, so when we went in we couldn't get it open b/c she was in the way. Put one of the handle covers on the inside of her door that is kid proof. And don't let her sleep with you! Once you start that habit it is a nightmare to break. Sounds like she is growing up faster than you'd like. Good luck! We've all been there. Wine helps you cope! (11/22/08, 7:28 pm)
Kimberly Kyle wrote: We use a doorknob cover on the inside of D's room...keeps him in the room. He might get out of bed but he typically will get back in and knock out pretty soon. We have a video monitor so I can watch what he is doing. Good luck! (11/23/08, 3:24 pm)
Sheila wrote: Good luck!! We used the stickers for many different things and sometimes it works.... sometimes it doesn't. I used to spend an hour every night marching Aidan back to bed.... eventually he caught on, but it was very nanny 911 (: (11/23/08, 10:43 pm)
Katie H. wrote: Holden can't get out of his bed yet, but we've been dealing with sleep issues, too. He is having night terrors and I made the mistake of letting him sleep in bed with me a few nights when he wakes up screaming and shaking. (Poor baby!) So then it turned into anytime he woke up at all, he'd expect to come into our room. I had to be a meanie and just rock him and put him back to bed, even if he was crying. I don't want to jinx it, but it took a week and then the last 3 nights he's slept all night in his own bed without us having to go in there. I think consistency is key. But so much easier said than done, esp. when you are exhausted and just looking for a "quick fix!" Good luck! Does she have anything she really likes that you could use positive motivation for? As a child for me it was Starkist popsicles at Dairy Queen. If I went one week in my own bed all night I got one. I know it worked for me; I can almost taste them now....hmm..maybe I need to go get one of those! =o) (11/28/08, 11:06 pm)
Katie H. wrote: P.S. She just keeps getting cuter! I love that shirt on her. (11/28/08, 11:07 pm)