Hello!

I’ve tried the whole use of stuffy to help them go to sleep. I’ve tried giving them a glass of water telling them stories singing them songs. I’ve even tried the super Nanny bedtime routine tactic and it’s still is not clicking. It’s very overwhelming. It’s very frustrating. I feel like a failure.


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  • Each child is different. We had a great sleep routine when transitioning to a bed, until we didn’t. At 4yo she has now started getting up once or twice a night. I figure this won’t be forever and she really is still quite young. We just try for consistency and some nights we win, others we don’t because we are too tired to keep our eyes open! Listen to them about why they’re getting up, is it at say 3am when the temp drops and perhaps they’ve kicked their quilt off? this is a big issue for us. If I happen to wake before she does and throw the quilt back on her, she sleeps through. Do they need a night light? Are they going to bed too early so not tired enough when they go to bed? All things we have considered and played with.


  • Make sure it’s pitch black and quiet.
    My kids stay in bed because they can’t see anything in the dark so don’t dare move lol.


  • Slowly wined them down
    Quieten the house down about 45mins before bed time
    Close curtains
    Turn lights off or down
    Tv off
    Included them in getting the house ready for quite time
    Give them a quite active to do eg read a picture book etc
    Regularly remind them its quite time zone ….if needed
    If there’s older kids .….include them in quite time so younger ones follow and learn
    Adjust daytime’s sleeps (time/quantity)
    Give them a routine toilet Pj’s clean teeth etc
    And be consistent


  • May be try co-sleeping with your toddler until they fall asleep.


  • One thing we found really good were audio books. You can download the free ‘Borrow Box’ app then sign up with your library log in. Alternatively, borrow audio books from your library. Hang in there. You are doing a brilliant job :)


  • Contact tresillian and karitane for advice or a residential stay. Or as your gp for melatonin.


  • This is one of the hardest things. I am going through this at the moment. I have a countdown on the clock so my toddler knows when it’s bed time and I remind her at 10 minutes, 5 minutes and 1 minute. I also allow her a small treat the following morning from a treat bag I have started, it consists of little things like lip balm, hair clips, erasers, stickers etc that she can pick from if she sleeps and stays in her bed. This definitely helps and I have noticed a change in her. It’s not perfect but it’s an improvement. Good luck


  • not a failure at all, ive struggled with this and still do, my kids are 5 and 2.
    i just keep taking them to bed and the nights they sleep in there beds all night i take that as a win, but its normal for them to want to be close, i was a co sleeper as well, with my first more so.. but please dont feel like a failure,,


  • Definitely not a failure! Unfortunately this is just one of those things you have to keep at – consistency is key! Eventually it will click for them xx


  • You are absolutely not a faiure! Toddlers realise they have a bit of freedom with bigger beds. Perhaps stay until they fall asleep, just until they get into the habit of sleeping in their own bed.


  • We have always gone with books and reading in bed, seems to send everyone to sleep!


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