Parents of 3 & 4 year olds...

[Tink&SquirtsMom]

Well bedtime is at 8pm but here it is 11:15 and dd is still awake. She will lay in bed quietly and "read," or use her leappad or travel light bright without complaining but she will not sleep. The child is so stubborn too that if we enforce a lights out policy she will stay up till 1 or 2 am and then of course is a wreck the next day. Up till she was about 3 1/2 she pretty much always slept 12 hours at night with no trouble, but now she falls alseep anytime between 10 and midnight and is up between 7 and 8am. She doesn't nap either. That is just not enough sleep for a 4 year old! I don't know what else to try though. We worked on various bedtime routines, tried altering her diet before bedtime (eating earlier, eating well, etc), tried really tiring her out at the park before bed, etc, etc. I'm hoping the upcoming time change will help, as this latest change to staying uo late started with the last time change and us "springing forward."

 

[aprilgail2]

Originally posted by Tink&SquirtsMom
anytime between 10 and midnight and is up between 7 and 8am. She doesn't nap either. That is just not enough sleep for a 4 year old! I don't know what else to try though. We worked on various bedtime routines, tried altering her diet before bedtime (eating earlier, eating well, etc), tried really tiring her out at the park before bed, etc, etc. I'm hoping the upcoming time change will help, as this latest change to staying uo late started with the last time change and us "springing forward."

At one time I had spoken to my daughters Dr about her sleep time since all the books said she whould be sleeping 10-12 hours a night and the Dr told me that not every kid needs that much sleep, some just need less and that is where my daughter is..she gets 8-10 normally, most times its been closer to the 8 though...if I put her to bed at 7 she would be up by 4am and that is NO fun for me! I would rather she went later and slept until 7! She doesn't have to get up until 730 for school since it deoesn't start here until 920. Every kid is different....

 

[Minnie824]

DD is almost 3 (next month) and her bedtime is between 8:30-9. She is and always has been difficult to get to sleep. Routine starts between 7:30-8. Now that shes started preschool, and no naps on those days, shes so tired, but will not go to bed early because she has to stick to her routine. Its difficult just getting her teeth brushed.

 

[beattyfamily]

Bedtime is 8:00p and my older DD was always a sleep fighter and it's been difficult to say the least but she's finally past that thanks to being able to sleep with her little sister.

My younger DD has never had an issue with sleep and has been an angel in that department.

They now go right to sleep with no fights at all. The young one never really put up a fight but the older one did.

I do still have to leave the door open till they fall asleep and a nightlight. That's it.

 

[LMC]

My niece is a night owl and her dr recently recommended giving her melatonin every night. My sister says that it seems to be helping her go to sleep. I kept her last week and gave her one pill about an hour before I wanted her to lay down and she was asleep in 30 min's. This is a kid who stays up until 1 or 2 in the a.m. quite frequently even on school nites (shes 8yo). She is ADHD and I guess does not require as much sleep as the rest of us LOL!!!! Getting her to sleep is the problem but once she is asleep she sleeps like a rock. You may want to check w/ the dr about this one; Iv'e heard about it from other folks as well. It is an OTC but I would never recommend giving it to a child w/o a dr's approval!

 

[cinmell]

Thanks everyone! I thought we were the only ones with a 3 year old that wouldn't sleep. She doesn't nap anymore and if she did, no matter how long or what time of the day, she would be wide awake until 11:30 or midnight. She wakes up around 7:30 am but it's so hard to get her to unwind at night.

If I let her run her little heart out at the park, she has a meltdown in the late afternoon but still won't fall asleep early. I take her to bed between 8-8:30 and read and she usually won't fall asleept until 9:30 or so. Hopefully this phase will end soon and she'll be sleeping by 8 or 8:30!

 

[DisneyMomx7]

DS (4) goes to bed at 7:00 (he no longer naps). He falls asleep right away and has no trouble staying asleep during the night. However, dds (5 and 7) start out in bed around 7:30 and it's a constant barrage of needing a drink, wanting to go to the bathroom, anything you can think of. Thank goodness ds is a good sleeper or I would be completely out of my mind. Last night was the first night in months that they actually fell asleep by 8:00. Hopefully being back in school and having to wake up early is taking care of this situation.

 

[JessetheCowgirl]

8:00 here. Both DS's fall asleep in 10 minutes or so.

 

[alecam]

Both of my boys (2 and 4) go to bed around 8. We start the process around 7:40 with books and songs,teeth and PJ's.
They are both usually asleep by 8:15 or so!

 

[AdventurerKat]

We usually start Sage's routine around 7:30 and it takes anywhere between a half an hour and an hour depending on what stories we read. Usually on the weekends he can stay up a bit later. He is four, going to be five in December. Sometimes he goes right to sleep and sometimes he doesnt. Its hit an miss around here.

Cole on the other hand wont sleep til HE wants, be it 7:30, 9:30 or 11:30... He is 18 mos old. Oh, the joy of life with a toddler.