2 1/2 year old wants to control bedtime (and everything else)...

Question

My son has always gone to bed without any trouble. Just like everything else in his 2 year old world right now, he wants to control when he lays down to sleep. We have a routine...bath, 2-3 books, a song, then sleep. Is it okay to leave him after the song and if he cries or is upset, just let him be? How long would you let a 2 1/2 year old cry? (I know some people don't do CIO), but it worked wonders for us when he was an infant. We haven't really had trouble since then. I don't want him to think he can take advantage of us by running the bedtime show! We work hard all day long to make sure our toddler doesn't run our house, the parents do. We just haven't had to CIO in a year or so. Thanks for your help.

Answer 1

You're doing wonderfully, and it heartening to see that you make sure you have control in your household. The bedtime routine is good, especially the reading part. Let him cry alone until he goes to sleep. Don't encourage  or discourage it, just let him be. He's probably just testing the waters to see if this method will work again, but it won't!

Answer 2

OH HOW I LOVE THE TODDLER STAGE!!!  Yes, it is ok to let him cry it out!!  When you are done with your routine, tell him goodnight and leave the room.  If he runs out and follows you, pick him up, say good night and put him in bed.  If he gets out of bed again, pick him up and put him back in his bed.  Say..."it's bed time" and leave.  If he does it again...pick him up, put him in bed and leave without saying a word.  Repeat until he gives up and falls asleep.  He will either tire himself out from crying go to sleep or he will realize you mean business and will go to sleep.  It worked with all 3 of my kids!!  Good Luck!!

Answer 3

Let him cry for an hour. He is probably just tired and fussy and in DENIAL ;). Good luck.  

Answer 4

We are going through the same thing with our daughter.  She normally lets us know when she wants to go to bed. If it isn't too early we will put her down and go through the bedtime routine.  There are times when she wants to stay up later than her normal bedtime.  Those days we just compromise and let her stay up a bit longer, but not too much later.

Answer 5

LET HIM CRY ITS NOT GOING TO HURT HIM TO CRY HIMSELF TO SLEEP ONCE OR TWICE BEFORE HE LEARNS THAT HE CANT DO WHAT HE WANTS

Answer 6

its normal for 2 year old to do this there trying to be More independent stick to your normal routine he will cry let him for a while when he gets out of bad put him back after a little while let him know you still love him and tell him it time for bed try giving him a book to read for a while or a tv to watch or music to listen to it might help. i know its going to be hard iam still fighting with my little guy and hes  almost four we have a tv in his room but he shares a room with all his brothers and it works most of the time some times we have to hold him for five mins and put him back to bed and off to sleep he goes. good luck stick to you guns and it will all work he is just growing up and just think it will start all over again when he becomes a teen lol