My two year old daughter won't go to sleep without me sitting at the end of her bed, how do I change this?

Question

I rocked her to bed from the time she was born until her second birthday. (June 2008, I know that's my fault) To stop the rocking I would sit at the end of her bed while she went to bed, which worked. I am now trying to get out of the bedroom and have her put herself to sleep but I'm having a very hard time. She does nothing but scream and cry when I leave her in there alone even if I leave the door open. I wind up back on the bed even though I know I shouldn't. This is our first child and I'm really stressed and could use some advice. I want to be able to make her sleep well while staying somewhat sane, help.

Answer 1

Start a bedtime routine that does not involve rocking or sitting at the end of the bed. Perhaps put a CD player with some of your and her favorite soft music on it and play that after you turn out the lights.

She is going to cry and scream and throw a tantrum the first couple of times you leave her alone. She will be fine, but wants your attention. Just make sure she knows that you love her, but let her cry it out for a couple of nights. (It gets worse before it gets better, but it does quickly get better). Reassure her during the day that everything is ok, and make sure you give her big hugs every morning and tell her what a big girl she is for sleeping in her big girl bed all by herself.

Answer 2

No-Cry sleep solution for toddlers...  this book has lots of good ideas and has worked well for one of my twins.  (the other has some extra issues causing night waking problems)

A more gradual way to gently help her sleep without you sitting there would be to bring in a chair and gradually move it, over the course of a few nights or many nights, further away from her bed.  

If she's afraid of something, leaving her alone to scream isn't going to help solve the fear.  If she's just used to your presence, there's nothing wrong with that - she just needs time to adjust to a change - and a gradual change will give her that time.  

There's nothing wrong with gently helping our kids sleep thru rocking or just being there.

Answer 3

tell her a little story and mabey fib a bit about a gaurdian angel  that comes in the room to protect little girls only if they are alone. check the closets for monsters and then give her a kiss goodnight and say ill be here in the morning. you will have to leave her alone, and if she cries just bear it out, you might start crying too but itll pass, that ll make her a stronger girl when shes older.

Answer 4

Well this is what I did with my daughter. I read to her and told her stories of the tooth fairy. That if she wanned a dollar after her tooth fell out she would have to stay in her bed. Like that the tooth Fairy will know were she sleeps and her pillow is at. she was so excited about it that she slept on her bed untill she lost her first tooth and "the tooth fairy did came by" and gave her a dollar. You could probably tell here that if she's sleeps on her bed an angel is going to leave her a small toy. Buy one and slip it unde her pillow if she sleeps on it. Explain to her that she won't come by that often but she's going to have to be on her bed just incase she does...oh yeah buy her a little toy and slip it under her pillow.

Answer 5

There's nothing wrong with her falling asleep on the floor. Just lock your door and try to go to sleep, she'll cry, scream, try to get inside your room but don't give her any attention at all. Just give her a bath, say good night, and go to sleep and lock your door! It'll be hard, but you can do it!

Answer 6

The first night is always the hardes, but once you get past there it will be alright. My daughter was the same, wouldn't go to sleep unless i was laying next to her. in the end i just put her to bed and left the room. When she cried, i went back up, didn't say a word, put her to bed and left. she cried again and i left her. 20 mins later she was out like a light. The next night i was dreading, but she was absoltuely fine. You have to let her know that you are serious. if you keep giving in, she will know how to get her own way.

Answer 7

I know this may sound mean/bad but it sure works. When you say goodnight to your child tell her that if he comes out one time, just once tonight that you will be taking away his favorite toy. Or, this way is more effective. Tell her

goodnight, kiss her and leave the room. Let her know that she's not going to be coming into your room anymore at night.

Stay outside her door the entire night. I know it doesn't sound good to you but it will work. When she comes out, grab her hand and march him straight back into her room. If she keeps doing it, keep on marching her back to her room. Shut the door behind you. Let her cry.

It may not sound pleasant but it works. In no time she will stop crying, stop coming to your room, and stop getting her toys away. I promise hun. Just try it. good luck

best answer me?

Answer 8

with my older three they were placed in their beds after i nursed them so they got use to me putting them to bed and walking out of the room. but with my fourth she has slept with me since she was born. my ex husband and i seperated when she was 3 mos old and divorced when she was 2. all she knows is me sleeping with her. i can't tell you to not do what you want to do, if you truly want to leave her alone to sleep. that's your choice. but i dont see the reason to do this at all. i'm very bohemian and i raise my kids differently now than i did when i was married. life isnt perfect and time goes by fast. my point is this, one day my youngest who will be 5 in september will no longer need to sleep with me again. until that time if she wants to sleep with me, so be it. i watch t.v. at night so she has learned to sleep with the t.v. light on. perhaps you need to just keep rocking her. she will be 5 soon and she won't want it anymore. and you will miss it! think about it. she'll only be 2 once and  you dont want any moment where she spent an evening missing that rocking time.