[onlymeagain]

Hi,

I am at my absolute wits end. My 4.5 yo ds used to be fantastic at going to sleep. For approx the passed 6 months most nights it takes 2 to 3 hours for him to go to sleep. It is driving me insane, I have come to HATE nightimes. He is in and out of bed constantly and I have had enough!

DS doesnt have an afternoon sleep, he has something on every day like kinder, swimming, soccer etc so he should be tired.

Do you have the same problem - any tips or advice would be greatly appreciated.

[Tofu Puff]

My DD , 5, sounds like your DS. She started kinder (first year of "big" school NSW) this year, and everyone said she would be zonked at the end of the day, but so far, it hasn't happened yet!!

We read her three books and then we play her a storybook tape in her tape player next to her bed. She is out by the end of side A!!!

You can get storybook tapes from the library or scour op shops.

[alchemist77]

We have had a similar problem with our DS who is almost 4 until about 3 months ago when I was having another one of my "THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG WITH THAT CHILD" tanties to hubby who refuses to admit that anything less than perfect could come from him
His behaviour was very challenging, and when I had been consistant for so long, and recieved consistant tantrums, I was fed up. DH did an internet search and found that a high% of childrens sleeping disorders can be solved by removing the tv 4 hours before bed. We did this and that VERY night he went to sleep half an hour after he went to bed which was a huge change from the 4 or 5 hours it took him previously.
While we had the typical suggested bedtime routine, bath story bed we added about 20 minutes where he would look at books by himself - so we read him a story he looked at books then he lay in his bed for his second story before we said good night.
While it was hard at first not to put the tv on while cooking dinner (which was the only time he watched it before as we are anti tv) I gave him play dough or other activites to do...sticking those circle stickers onto paper even, and he is now a different child it was so worthwhile for us.

[Anlawich]

After putting up with that for about a year with my DD, i introduced the 'sleep fairy'. The sleep fairy brings a little treat the next day if she goes to sleep like a good girl.

Took a few days for her to believe she'd get anything, and still continued to play up. But the first night she did something 'good' (didn't come in to our room for the first time in weeks), the 'sleep fairy' left a freddo frog under her pillow. She's only had a few bad nights since!

We've since downgraded to tiny treats now though. I had to start off big to make a good first impression.

Not saying it'll work, but anything is worth a try!!