1. I’m in the same spot with my two year old and it’s brutal…and I don’t have a newborn to take care of! I’ve been keeping the routine consistent, not giving an inch, and reacting very calmly when she starts the dramatics. I’ve noticed that she reacts much more strongly when lose my cool. It’s so hard but things are getting better and I’m hoping she’s almost through the phase. Stay the course! If things regress, I’ll be posting an ad for her on Craigslist.

   • Ugh, yes – we’re definitely guilty of losing our cool during bedtime and naps. I’m not proud of it and I’m definitely worried about the longterm impact of our collective behavior – Sophie’s at the stage where she repeats just about everything we say to her or around her. I keep telling myself everything is a phase and hopefully this will pass soon – I’d give just about anything for a faint light at the end of this tunnel!

2. Try putting her to bed 15 min earlier…or even 30 min…sounds weird but that worked for my son when he was about that age

   • Thanks Diana! We actually did try that last night with only moderate success – but maybe if we can get into a new routine it will help over the long run. We’ll try anything!

3. My daughter (18 in a month) was a horrible sleeper from birth, and it got worse during the toddler years (which doesn’t help does it?) but we kept a really strict routine no matter what. It was bath, quiet reading on my lap, lullabies then bed. Many times the bed bit had quite a struggle and I had to leave her agitated. Try to keep stimulation to minimum – no television or screens of any sort and try to get the environment quieter – difficult with a baby! I was always in so much envy of friends whose children went to bed easily (and slept well as infants) but for us sticking with the routine was worth it, she became a great sleeper. Just try to remember that this is a phase and will pass, and nap when you can!!!

4. I forgot to say that your blog is wonderful, and you are so creative~ and to do this with little ones is, frankly, jaw dropping.

   • Thank you so much Michele!

5. My daughter also experienced a greater resistance to going to bed around the age of turning two. I couldn’t work out what was happening as we’d never had any issues with her going to sleep before. I’ve now since come to the conclusion that actually she needs a bit less sleep than she did 6 months ago. She still naps for two hours in the middle of the day, and so it was unfair to expect her to easily drift off to sleep at 7pm, which was the bedtime we had been keeping (she consistently wakes at 7am). I now put her down between 7.30pm-8pm and really try to make sure she doesn’t nap beyond 2.30pm. If she naps any time after 3pm, then I can almost guarantee bedtime will be a battle. Apparently 2 year olds need an average of 13 hours sleep, so if she’s getting that, then maybe she’s just not tired enough. Taking these actions have really helped and generally she fights sleep much less as long as I know she is definitely ready to drift off.

   But who knows, they’re all different. I too have a friend who’s just had a new baby and I know that her toddler who was always a good sleeper before, is suddenly waking at 5am all of a sudden. I think they put it down to the whole adjustment of the new family dynamic and that totally makes sense.

   Whatever the issue is, I hope you manage to work it out and find a solution. You will – in time!

   • Thanks Julie! This is all really so very helpful! Sophie does nap at daycare during the week but has been on a bit of a nap strike at home on weekends – which only just adds to the struggle since her weekend naps are all over the map these days. Plus having the baby at home, moving to a toddler bed, and potty training (!!) – it’s a lot of adjustments for all of us!

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