https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Wed, 15 Apr 2026 19:04:24 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/preschool-bedtime-drama#post-2764076 Tue, 01 Aug 2017 18:53:00 +0000 Foodnerd81 2764076@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Anagram: she acts completely tired. Hitting, yelling, being rough for no reason, getting totally wound up and crazy when you can see she's so tired... and she's doing camp this week and is even extra tired. </p> <p>Started a sticker chart and showed her the cool new book she gets when she earns five stickers for staying in bed all night. First night worked like a charm. Tonight not so much. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/preschool-bedtime-drama#post-2763852 Tue, 01 Aug 2017 12:24:34 +0000 Anagram 2763852@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>They do start needing slightly less sleep as they get older. My 4 yr old still naps most days, but then doesn't go to bed until 9 and is up by 6:30. So 11 hours total in a day. Maybe your kiddo is getting what she needs, sleeping 8-7? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/preschool-bedtime-drama#post-2763709 Mon, 31 Jul 2017 22:38:59 +0000 LemonJack 2763709@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My husband gave our 3 year old a flashlight, and she sits in bed each night looking through her books with the flashlight on. When she's tired, she just pulls up her blanket and falls asleep. Some nights it's 5 minutes, and others are 45, but she happily stays in bed. It's made bedtime much more peaceful. She's tired so much later at this point because she's still napping (and still needs it), but this at least keeps us from battling her each evening. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/preschool-bedtime-drama#post-2763373 Mon, 31 Jul 2017 09:05:17 +0000 looch 2763373@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Foodnerd81: I thought the same thing, but honestly, he has a choice of either cheerios with milk or a cereal bar. He eats it and then once he's in bed, he literally is asleep in minutes. I tried that no more food until breakfast rule as well, but when they're hungry, they're hungry. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/preschool-bedtime-drama#post-2763367 Mon, 31 Jul 2017 08:56:59 +0000 Foodnerd81 2763367@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@looch: I'm afraid if I offered a snack that would make meals even worse. We also have some trouble with meals where she requests something then barely eats it. We just tell her this is it until breakfast, so if I gave a snack at bedtime (after teeth brushing, no less) I feel like dinner would get worse. :( </p> <p>@StrawberryBee: yes! Mommy??! I love you! Great but can you tell me in the morning?? </p> <p>@erinbaderin: I already tell her she doesn't need to go right to sleep but to rest. I willhave to try the sticker chart again. We had some luck with them a while back. It's just kind of exhausting! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/preschool-bedtime-drama#post-2763348 Mon, 31 Jul 2017 08:26:41 +0000 gotkimchi 2763348@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@looch: my daughter is like this too, sometimes she'll ask for a snack and then go right to bed </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/preschool-bedtime-drama#post-2763346 Mon, 31 Jul 2017 08:24:27 +0000 erinbaderin 2763346@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Sticker chart. Literally changed our lives overnight. My son was doing this - in and out of his bedroom for up to an hour. I bought a remote controlled Lightning McQueen, told him if he could earn 5 stickers by staying in bed he could have it. Once he earned that we kept up the stickers but cut down the prizes - now if he gets 5 stickers he gets to have a treat (chocolate, ice cream, cupcake, something). Half the time he forgets in the morning to even ask for the sticker.</p> <p>We also let him know that he didn't have to go right to sleep, he could play quietly with one toy as long as he stayed in his bed - "you don't have to go to sleep but you have to rest". I think that also helped take some of the stress off him, now he doesn't feel like his only options are asleep or out of bed bopping around. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/preschool-bedtime-drama#post-2763329 Mon, 31 Jul 2017 07:06:44 +0000 StrawberryBee 2763329@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>E does the same thing. "Mommy I need to give you a hug. Mommy I need to give you a kiss. Mommy I didn't go potty (she did). Mommy I need a drink of water. Mommy I need you to cover me up (I did the first five times you got out of bed, kiddo!). And then she's always exhausted in the morning. No solutions, I just hope that she comes out of this phase soon! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/preschool-bedtime-drama#post-2763328 Mon, 31 Jul 2017 07:03:29 +0000 looch 2763328@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My son did this as well, and sometimes he does still take a long time to fall asleep. What I've observed is that when he's super active during the day, he falls asleep faster. So I aim to tire him out by doing a lot of physical activity.</p> <p>Secondly, I offer him a snack when he can't sleep, I've also observed that when he's hungry, it also takes him longer to fall asleep. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/preschool-bedtime-drama#post-2763312 Sun, 30 Jul 2017 23:32:25 +0000 ALV91711 2763312@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We've just come out of this. It really stressed me out. What has seemed to keep him in bed is I let him have a book with his light on for five minutes. He lays there calmly and usually turns his light out sooner. Then he just stays in bed and goes to sleep. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/preschool-bedtime-drama#post-2763301 Sun, 30 Jul 2017 22:15:57 +0000 Corduroy 2763301@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm going through similar with bedtime. The thing that's working for us now is that I tuck DD in and tell her if she's stays in bed quietly I'll come back in 10 min and pat her back for a few minutes. She's a lot more calm and ready for bed after laying there for 10 minutes. She doesn't fall asleep during the back rub but she gets close and after it she usually falls asleep on her own without a fight. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/preschool-bedtime-drama#post-2763290 Sun, 30 Jul 2017 21:33:13 +0000 Foodnerd81 2763290@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Bedtime with my just turned 4 year old is becoming impossible. We've had to same general routine for a while, get teeth and potty, pjs, story song, good night. When DH is home he drags it out a little more but if I'm doing bedtime solo I go a little faster since I nurse little sister after. It's been ok for a while. </p> <p>Lately, the stalling, getting out of bed and asking for snuggles, going potty, more snuggles... it's impossible. It takes half an hour or more after we say good night for her to finally settle in. I am ready to put a lock on her door but would rather work on this somehow. </p> <p>Some basics- she doesn't really nap, but has "quiet time" in early afternoon where she is supposed to play quietly in her room (little sister naps then too). Bedtime usually starts around 7 ish with the idea of saying goodnight before 7:45. Her OK to Wake clock lights up at 7:15 but she's been getting up before that a lot. </p> <p>She acts like she is overtired especially at bedtime, but I cannot make her sleep more. Earlier bedtime ends up being later with all the stalling. Any tips? </p>