sleeping - not doing very well

bawoodsmall wrote: Aiden has always been a pretty good sleeper(17 months old) however the last 2 months have been a wreck. He is waking up at night and I have to pretty much let him cry. I have found with him if I go in there it gets him more worked up or he will think it is play time and really want to get up. I know a lot of you do not agree with CIO but it is what I have to do. Lately though he has been crying forever(Please try to put yourself in my shoes) and then will go back to sleep but will do it again in an hour or so.
Here is our schedule:
Home from daycare/work at 5:30
Dinner at around 6:00-6:30
7:15-7:30 bath time
in bed around 7:45
wake up sometime during night lately
wake up for the day at 6:15-6:30(not liking this)

I dont think this is a case of a sickness or anything. Oh and both of my kids have always been light sleepers(Emily when she was little) Their bedrooms are close to ours and we be very quiet when we go up.

Does anyone have advice? I feel like I must be doing something wrong. He always wakes up crying. I do feel he is a spirited child and I know they are different.

moped replied: I am all for CIO - I think you are doing everything right - except maybe trying to get a tiny bit earlier bed time if at all possible.........do not go in - he will go to sleep and soon will be a great little sleeper

bawoodsmall replied: Earlier? See I always thought earlier but dh and I feel so bad cuz we work all day and then feel like we are really not seeing him at all. What time do you think?

moped replied:
I know what you mean, but I think he needs earlier - like 7

I get home at 5:15 and Jack is in bed at 7 - kind of sucks but he needs it!

momofone replied: He may have teeth coming in.

bawoodsmall replied: I thought teeth but it has been going on for so long I would think I would have saw some darn teeth by now. Moped - I am trying the 7:00 tonight so wish me luck. I will let you know how it goes.

moped replied:
Just stay consistent - in a week or two it will just be normal

7pm-7am

bawoodsmall replied: I wish I could say that was like a dream come true but not so much. He went calmly to bed at 7:00 but at 8:00 was screaming. I let him cry for an hour and DH could not do it anymore so he went and got him. He was up till 11:00 and was back up at 6:15. The time he was up he was happy as a lark. He does have a allergy like cough but I dont think it would wake him up. I saw him grab his mouth a couple times last night like in pain. I did check and had dh check again but I honestly feel nothing. Oh and when I went to get him there were no tears. Almost like he was more ticked than anything. KWIM??? So what do you think. I felt like I was being a horrible parent by letting him cry that long even though I know there was nothing actually wrong. If anyone else also has any ideas please...... I am open for ideas and suggestions.

moped replied: consistency is key - he know knows if he cried long enough you will come in and get him - especially if htere were no tears, just screaming to get out of bed - and it worked!

bawoodsmall replied: Thats what I thought but I could not convine dh. However, he has a tendency not to give up. When is enough enough? Seriously, actually how long would you let Jack cry. When are you being a bad parent?

moped replied:
I can't remember how long, but the first night was about 20 minutes at 7pm but in the middle of the night he cried for liekly an hour and then it got less and less......if you and DH arne't on the same page it won't work.
YOu are not a bad parent for trying to get your child to learn how to sleep - sleep is sooo important!

bawoodsmall replied: Yeah i agree with the fact that we have to be on the same page but I am still wondering seriously how long I can let him cry. We have no issues with CIO and know that he needs to know how to soothe himself I just think Jacob felt like we werent winning and he would do this forever. Aiden is a little bull and most of the time he gets what he wants and it is NOT because I am a pushover it is because he is strongwilled and will not give in....ever.

moped replied:
I guess I always think that "who is the boss"....he is strong willed, but you have to be more strong willed......but that is jsut my take. If there is any confrontation, I will win - LOL..............

Everytime you let him cry and then cave and go in - you are stepping back a hundred steps, basically having done nothing but starting fresh again.

Anyways, I am not saying it is easy, but maybe you need to mkae sur yeou are both on the same page 100%, cause I am not sur eyou are just yet

bawoodsmall replied: I appreciate all of your suggestions. I need them right now. I will talk to dh tonight and we will discuss what we want to do. I know I do not want a child who feels like if he bullies me and annoys me long enough I will eventually give in. I just really wonder if he wont not give up crying. Maybe we will find out this weekend when I dont have to work the next day. Once again wish me luck.

moped replied:
He will stop crying - or not crying just getting angry......LOL

He will!!!!

I do wish you lucj because a full nights sleep is the best thing for everyone!

I will be doing this again in a short while so I sympathize! The sleepless nights I mean!

bawoodsmall replied: You are right. He will stop. We talked and are willing to agree on 7:15. Do you also not "let" Jack wake up before 7:00?