Labor Day Weekend 2015

Labor Day Weekend 2015

Friday, July 29, 2011

Sleep Training: Toddler Edition

I've shared many times over that our family thrives only when everyone gets plenty of sleep.  I don't even want to consider what my children would or could be capable of if they were consistently over-tired.  I've also written about my go-to book for figuring it all out.  It's called "Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child" (HSHHC) and it is just that.  It gives you examples and case studies of sleep problems and the solutions as well as what sleep patterns children SHOULD be exhibiting.  It does give ideas on training styles but it emphasizes that it isn't so much the style that matters but the consistency of that style that creates positive sleep habits.  And how awesome would it be to have children that never fight you at nap and/or bed time?  

Well...my kids aren't like that.  Not usually.  Don't get me wrong, I think I win our sleep battles most of the time, but it usually is a battle (at least with Keller) to get him down.  Some days we end up with one nap, but my kiddo is one of those that definitely should be getting two naps and a full nights rest to boot.  He's like his dad in that way.  

As of lately, we've woken up to Keller in our bed practically every morning.  Usually around 3AM he stumbles in and I'm not able to exactly get up and put him back since I co-sleep with Lucy, so he just gets pulled up and plopped in between me/Lucy and Broghan.   We also deal with cries/screams and constantly having to put him back into his bed when we're initially getting him to sleep.  

Anyways, since having Lucy I've had my HSHHC book out and have been brushing up on what her sleep cycle should be like right now at 3 1/2 months.  Mind you, I've probably almost read every page of this book already but for some reason when I read the section on Tantrum...even after reading it a second time just recently...it didn't click in my head that THAT was what we were dealing with at bed time.  Keller was throwing tantrums but I just thought for some reason that wasn't what it was.  Who knows.  I was delusional. haha.  So this past week I've made up my mind and took the suggestions of the book and have since began the process of "elimination" of the tantrums.  The idea is pretty simple...to stop reinforcing the tantrums and ignore it all.  The execution is a bit more complicated being a mom and all and hating to hear your child scream and bang on a door.  

HOWEVER, four days into it and by golly I think we're on a good path here.  I just walked Keller into his room and laid him in his bed (wriggling and screaming all the way), kissed him and explained that it was nap time and he needed to stay in bed.  Of course he crawled out of bed as soon as I closed the door, but within TWO minutes he was back up in his bed and quiet.  So amazing!  We're getting so close to being able to just lay him down and him fall asleep on his own.  It makes me excited. :). 

Until next time...

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