How do you get a 2 year old to sleep in their own bed at night?

Question

How do you get a 2 year old to sleep in their own bed? My son has just gone into his bed. He used to average 13 hours in a 24 hour peroid....now he refuses to nap in the day and won't go to bed till 8 at night.help

Answer 1

13 hours sounds like too much - but any advice I've read says there's no such thing as too much when they are this young.  As for getting to bed, routine is the key and rewarding desired behaviour is also a good idea.  This video shows a nifty idea using stickers which might be useful?

Answer 2

Hi Kit!!! Sounds normal if I compare your child to my friends child.  He is 2, well just over, and he has refused to nap during the day since just before he turned two.  However he now goes to bed in the evening around 6.30pm - 6.45pm.  You can try two things - the first option is try putting him to bed earlier than 8pm.  I know it sounds wierd but sometimes if they stop sleeping during the day, come 8pm they are overtired and too worked up to get to sleep.  Alternatively put him to bed when he usually goes to sleep.  For instance if you put him to bed at 8pm and he doesnt fall asleep until 9 - then put him to bed at 9pm.  Eventually he will start going to bed at this time and going straight to sleep.  Then you can slowly by 5 minutes per night bring the bedtime forward to 8pm.  

Answer 3

warm glass of milk at night near bed time which will make them sleepy and i used to be scared to sleep in my room by myself so my mum would sit with me in my room reading to me or to herself until i fell asleep... i do it with the kids i babysit...

Answer 4

take them to the park in afternoon make them tired run around play football and then a warm glass of milk at night, read a story. and h**l be out.alwaysworks.

Answer 5

my friend has a daughter who is almost 2, she does not nap until later in the day now and my friend has been told to keep her up until 9. he may just be growing out of naps and have enough energy to keep him up, look at his diet, weight, daily activity... this could all be a factor

Answer 6

I was having probs with my eldest when we transitioned from cot to bed, but found routine and consistency to be the key.

At this age they still need 12-13 hours sleep in the 24 hour period.

I cut out his day sleep, and this helped. I give my boys dinner at 4.45 then a bath at 5-5.30 then we go into his bedroom to read around 5.30 and read for 20-25 mins I am out of his room by 6pm and he is usually asleep within 5-10 mins.

When he first went into his bed he would get up time after time but I would just take him back in and tuck him back in even if it was 5 or 6 times in one night, it went on for about a month, and I was near going bonkers but it finally worked when he realised there was no point getting up because he would be taken straight back to bed.

I hope this helps. Goodluck!

Answer 7

maybe you shouldnt of let him in your bed in the first place that is the biggest mistake parents can make.oh well we all make mistakes and it is good for learning

Answer 8

He may be getting to much sleep. Try cutting his nap down to an hour and a half and make the rule he doesn't have to sleep but he must stay in his bed. Give him books to look at, chances are he'll get bored and fall asleep. As for bedtime, 8 or 8:30 is a good bedtime for a 2 year old. Start the "bedtime routine" around 7:30, read books and listen to quiet music to set a relaxed mood. When it's time for lights out, tuck him in, say good night and leave the room. If he comes out of the room tell him good night and put him back into bed. Every time after that that he gets up just put him back in bed without saying anything. He may get up 20 times or even scream and cry, but at the end of the day you have to be the parent and he'll understand that you mean bedtime means go to sleep and eventually he'll go to bed without a struggle.

Answer 9

Every child is different, he may not need a nap anymore.  Sorry.  I think 8 pm is a reasonable bedtime.  To get the kiddo to sleep in their own bed requires some patience and work.  Start by setting up a routine.  Getting ready for bed, brushing teeth and reading a story.  All day long, explain this is his bed and its a big boy bed and he gets to sleep in it yeah.  At bedtime, put him in, cover him up and give him kisses.  Leave the room.  If he gets out - the first time tell him it is bedtime and carry him back to bed.  If he gets out again -- this is when it gets really hard -- pick him up, dont make eye contact, and lay him down.  You'll do this over and over until he goes to sleep.  If he gets up in the middle of the night -- start all over!  He'll figure it out soon enough.  It took my daughter 4 times, but some kids take 2 hours.  Patience is key - as is silence and avoiding eye contact.  Good luck!  And once he gets used to sleeping in the bed at night -- naptime may be easier to reestablish.

Answer 10

As kids get older they need less sleep. 13 hours at 2 is quite a lot. My son is a little over 2 and he averages about 9 hours at night with a 1 hour nap during the day. But sometimes he takes no naps, just depends how he is feeling. Don't force him to sleep. If he really doesn't want to sleep, you forcing him in his could make him want to sleep in it less. Adjusting sleep times and schedules and they grow is essential. He is probably just transitioning into his new bed and everything. Just keep putting him in his bed at night and tell him he has to sleep in his big boy bed. Don't yell or get angry at him because it will just make him more upset.

Patience is key.

Good luck!

Answer 11

I think he will sleep there when he is ready. My youngest will be 3 in november and still spends part of most nights in my bed. He gets put in his bed when he falls asleep, sometime in the middle of the night he crawls into my bed and snuggles with us.