Comments on: How to Deal With Bedtime Tantrums

By: sydniesmom

sydniesmom — Sat, 29 Jan 2011 16:59:46 +0000

Your description of your son’s routine at bedtime is spot on to what we work with each night for our almost 3 year old daughter (2 years 9 months). She is a precocious, inquisitive little girl & we have no issues at naptime. She has been a “Babywise” baby since infancy & has routine slept 7 PM-7 AM since she was 7 weeks old. I’ve tried extending bedtime until 8. Until 8:30. Reducing afternoon nap to 45min-1 hour only. She goes to a little church weekday school 3 mornings a week & gets plenty of physical activity & social interaction. We read books – set limits, do bath, teeth brusing, etc. Still, 3-6 times a night after we initially put her to bed, she comes out asking for things (stalling). We try not to make much eye contact or talk when we go back to put her in her room. But still it takes an extra 60-90 minutes & 3-6 tries to get her to finally “go to sleep.” Are we expecting too much sleep from her? Should her bedtime be closer to 8:30 or 9? I hate to do that, because then my husband & I will get no alone time. If we get up earlier each AM & start her day closer to 6 or 6:30, she is generally cranky & “spent” by the time she gets home from school at 12:30 & getting in trouble – so I think it’s too early to get up in the AM. Please let me know what you learned/found out/tried to get through this time.

By: Al S.

Al S. — Mon, 22 Nov 2010 05:55:44 +0000

15m warning before check
Bath check
Routine check
Choose PJs check
Choose books check
3 1/2 year old defiance/tantrum – check, check, check (most nights)

We eventually have to lock him in his room for 30m to 1h after one warning of not cooperating so we can prepare for work the next day and get some peace. We very much suspect our son is gifted but his bedtime routines are out of control for 2/3 the nights. The other 1/3 its still work to get him in bed. Finally after 30m-1h he gives in and says “cover me up” and we do and goes to sleep.

We don’t spank him, we try and talk to him, he just doesnt want to go to sleep. We read 5-6 books on child behavior countless articles and they offer no “well what do we do when it doesnt work” solutions.

If he actually does mostly cooperate the 20m story time is full of tricks, negotiations, tantrum threats, and “I gotta pee”, “wheres my (insert teddy bear)”, “I dont like this shirt”, “Im hungry”, “I want mommey/daddy (after 1 of 2 books are read)”

We talk baby talk with him to work out his feelings. We are understanding he doesn’t want to go to bed, but nothing works short of physical intervention of the door.

He is not ADHD either.

This is all we know how to get him in bed untill someone comes up with a better suggestion. So if you got one please email me.