What do you do when your DC WILL NOT go to sleep?

[AmyWA]

We've been trying to get Cooper down for bed now for over an hour. He WILL NOT go to sleep. He doesn't co-sleep with us anymore as he can't stand to be that close to anyone while actually asleep. Both my DH and I have rocked him. We've laid him down and patted his back, rubbed his tummy, changed his pants, stood up and snuggled him, given him a bottle, given him his blankie, picked up his binky again and again. We KNOW that he is tired because when we bring him downstairs he doesn't know what to do with himself and just buries his head in his blanket and whines. When we pick him up downstairs he just fights us to get back down.

So, what do you do? We're loosing our minds trying to figure out what to do with him. It's obvious he NEEDS to go to sleep, but he just will not go. We're so tired and dealing with the death of DH's grandmother this morning so neither of us are really up for this tonight. Help!

[ArmsOfLove]

I assume they are getting sick or teething and resign myself to listening to nice music or reading or going online while wishing I could sleep :hugheart

Sorry it's a rough night :hugheart

OH, or I sing to them :heart

[Mother Duck]

Crystal had some good ideas ...

I'd add ... or turn on a good movie :yes preferably one you enjoy and little one will find boring :shifty

[Katigre]

On really rough nights we go for a drive and that does the trick :shifty.

[The Tickle Momster]

On really rough nights we go for a drive and that does the trick :shifty.


Us too.

[TuneMyHeart]

That was happening to us a lot, and we finally let Ellie push her bedtime back much later. It doesn't take nearly as long now (most nights, anyway).

When it does happen, we usually take turns trying to get her to sleep. I nurse her, rock her, then if I get too frustrated, DH will take her and lay down with her on the floor. Sometimes he can't get her to sleep either, so I'll take her back again after I've calmed down and gotten a break. Then I do all the same things over and over.

It can be very frustrating. :hug2