https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Mon, 20 Apr 2026 20:17:31 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/those-of-you-with-willfulchallenging-toddlers/page/2#post-2589234 Wed, 20 Jul 2016 16:22:13 +0000 mrswin 2589234@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Modern Daisy: It sounds like his behaviour is challenging for both you and his caregivers. I agree with others maybe try asking daycare to drop the nap, as much as they would like a break, they may be contributing to the issue. Have you spoken to his pedi about what you are dealing with? A family friend had her son evaluated and they ended up cutting out all red eyes and a couple other foods. His behaviour has changed dramatically since.. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/those-of-you-with-willfulchallenging-toddlers/page/2#post-2589225 Wed, 20 Jul 2016 16:05:44 +0000 Cherrybee 2589225@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>You have my sympathy. We are going through a similar struggle. E loves her gro clock and has finally come to understand that she mustn't come into our room until the "sun pops up". However, now she gets all of her toys out, litters the landing with them, goes into her baby sister's room and empties out her drawers and trashes the bathroom instead. I woke this morning at 5am to the sound of her jumping on the toilet lid and for a second I thought we had been burgled because of the mess. :bummed: She then announced proudly that she had done a poo and thrust her plastic floor potty at me with an enormous turd inside. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/those-of-you-with-willfulchallenging-toddlers/page/2#post-2589134 Wed, 20 Jul 2016 13:48:02 +0000 Modern Daisy 2589134@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@sotofamilia: he made it once but I think it was a fluke when he just randomly slept a little later. I have not tried setting it earlier than his wake up time but that's a good idea! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/those-of-you-with-willfulchallenging-toddlers/page/2#post-2589128 Wed, 20 Jul 2016 13:42:51 +0000 caterw 2589128@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Modern Daisy: Also, we also eat dinner late since DH works in restaurants and will never get home before 6 even on an early day- our usual dinner time is between 630-7. I will give DD a cup of milk and maybe some crackers before bed too, which has ended the 2 am crawling into bed and complaining that she wants a yogurt. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/those-of-you-with-willfulchallenging-toddlers/page/2#post-2589127 Wed, 20 Jul 2016 13:42:46 +0000 sotofamilia 2589127@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm not sure if this has been mentioned, but with the clock, has he ever been able to make it until it turns green? When we first got ours, the advice I got was to set it a little earlier than when my LO got up, so when he woke up, it was green and he got that reinforcement. Then over a few weeks, gradually set it back two or three minutes at a time until it was at the time I felt was reasonable for him to get up. </p> <p>Unfortunately, the clock didn't work for us, but that seemed like good advice so it wasn't like he was waking up at 5:00 and then all of sudden being expected to wait at 6:30.</p> <p>I also agree that kids can definitely need the nap at daycare, but not need it at home. I know when my 3.5 year old naps at home, it pushes bedtime back from 7pm to 9:30pm. So he's still getting the same amount of sleep, just moved around. </p> <p>Anyway, I don't know if any of that is helpful, but I'm sorry - it's so tough to be patient and understanding when you're exhausted. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/those-of-you-with-willfulchallenging-toddlers/page/2#post-2589126 Wed, 20 Jul 2016 13:41:59 +0000 Modern Daisy 2589126@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@caterw: I'm sure that tiring him out like that would help, but we are so exhausted from sleep deprivation that we just don't have the energy. He gets a lot of action at daycare but he must be like your LO and not need as much sleep. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/those-of-you-with-willfulchallenging-toddlers/page/2#post-2589123 Wed, 20 Jul 2016 13:39:32 +0000 Modern Daisy 2589123@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@looch: haha well this is a whole other topic but since LO is such a willful/spirited child our daycare actually does everything possible to get him to nap longer. Not that they can really control it but they've told me how they rub his forehead, etc. on purpose when they see he is waking. I know it's because they want a break from him because they've admitted it to me and we get weekly calls basically complaining about his behavior. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/those-of-you-with-willfulchallenging-toddlers#post-2589121 Wed, 20 Jul 2016 13:39:24 +0000 caterw 2589121@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Modern Daisy: My 2.5 yo is not a sleeper- we have to coax her down and she can stay up so late and still get up early. I have found doing something active with her in the afternoon (walk, park, swimming in our neighborhood pool, even just putting on Disney Pandora and dancing in the living room) helps her get tired and sleepy so she will go to bed at a reasonable time and not wake up at 4 am ready to PLAY. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/those-of-you-with-willfulchallenging-toddlers#post-2589118 Wed, 20 Jul 2016 13:37:05 +0000 Modern Daisy 2589118@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Madison43: maybe he needs a later bedtime.. It's just tough because he is at his wildest this time of day and we are fed up and need a break so bad. Plus we tried it for a few days and it resulted in an even earlier morning wake up. We figured we at least want to have an evening if we aren't going to get a morning. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/those-of-you-with-willfulchallenging-toddlers#post-2589114 Wed, 20 Jul 2016 13:34:33 +0000 Modern Daisy 2589114@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Ajsmommy: thank you so much for your comment - it really helps to hear from other people who are going through it too. You sound very practical and down to earth about it which probably helps with the stress. And I agree, my mom wakes up right before nap time and wants to talk our ears off - we have learned to hide in another room so we can actually get some rest during our only downtime lol. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/those-of-you-with-willfulchallenging-toddlers#post-2589031 Wed, 20 Jul 2016 12:00:53 +0000 looch 2589031@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Modern Daisy: what if you dropped the nap? I would ask daycare if there is something he can do during that time or maybe send him to an older class that isn't sleeping. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/those-of-you-with-willfulchallenging-toddlers#post-2588992 Wed, 20 Jul 2016 10:46:15 +0000 catlady 2588992@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm sorry you are dealing with this. I honestly have no advice with regards to the behavior but maybe it is time for him to shorten or drop his nap? Mine is that age as well and we are lucky she still mostly sleeps well but several of the moms in our daycare room tell me that their toddlers don't nap during the weekends and they sleep much later the next morning (they all still nap at daycare but apparently the kids wake much earlier on those mornings). </p> <p>Our DD has also been waking up a bit earlier lately and I think it is a similar issue to what @Madison43 mentioned, which is that she was recently potty trained and now wakes when she has to pee. However it is still usually at least 6 so we haven't been affected too badly.</p> <p>Also, the snack is a great idea. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/those-of-you-with-willfulchallenging-toddlers#post-2588933 Wed, 20 Jul 2016 09:41:07 +0000 Madison43 2588933@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Modern Daisy: his bedtime does seem early...my 2.5 yo is in bed at 8 and usually asleep by 8:30. Even if she seems tired earlier, if I put her in bed before 7 she would wind herself up playing and singing to herself and be up forever. </p> <p>Is he potty trained? My daughter still wears a diaper overnight but has recently started getting up at 6 (sometimes earlier) because I think she is starting to really feel the sensation of a full bladder and its waking her up. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/those-of-you-with-willfulchallenging-toddlers#post-2588932 Wed, 20 Jul 2016 09:40:14 +0000 Ajsmommy 2588932@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Modern Daisy: I'm sorry you are dealing with this. DD is an early riser too. We just go with it bc it actually works for us during the work week (ps. weekends SUCK). As she's gotten older she'll sleep in later, but it's a miracle if she sleeps past 630am. </p> <p>As you mentioned I have adjusted my sleep and go to bed as early as I can (I am high sleep needs). DH and I also try to alternate weekend mornings so one of us sleeps in while the other takes DD downstairs.</p> <p>As far as having company, heck I don't worry about it. I mean I try to keep DD quiet if we are upstairs and try to get her downstairs asap but it's her house/our house. They are guests... I actually get annoyed when my mom sleeps in until 10 am and then complains when DD would go down for a nap right after my mom got up.. well ok, HELLO, if you want to play with her or spend time with her get yo butt outta the bed... :silly: So I guess what I'm saying is that I don't worry about others when they stay at our house. I do warn them that we are up early and to bed early. It's just our way of life for now. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/those-of-you-with-willfulchallenging-toddlers#post-2588924 Wed, 20 Jul 2016 09:22:15 +0000 Modern Daisy 2588924@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mamaof2: that is also a great idea! This is why I love this website because it takes an outside observer to think of these things, lol. This thread has already helped me realize that he might just be hungry or at least the hunger isn't helping. I hadn't thought of it since he never asks for food when he gets up and sometimes refuses most of his breakfast altogether - but that doesn't mean he's not hungry. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/those-of-you-with-willfulchallenging-toddlers#post-2588922 Wed, 20 Jul 2016 09:17:47 +0000 Mamaof2 2588922@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Modern Daisy: maybe you can give him a snack to eat in his room when he wakes? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/those-of-you-with-willfulchallenging-toddlers#post-2588921 Wed, 20 Jul 2016 09:17:14 +0000 Modern Daisy 2588921@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Anagram: I am absolutely going to try the cherry juice thank you! Had not heard of that before. And you are right that we didn't try the later bedtime for long enough but after a few days in a row of later bedtime (so we don't even get an evening) followed by 4amwake ups we threw our arms up in the air and gave up. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/those-of-you-with-willfulchallenging-toddlers#post-2588917 Wed, 20 Jul 2016 09:14:43 +0000 Modern Daisy 2588917@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@hilsy85: oh my goodness we have tried everything to keep him quiet. Walks, running in the yard, tv, special toys, even on the flip side time-outs for being loud. He is just not happy until everyone is awake. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/those-of-you-with-willfulchallenging-toddlers#post-2588916 Wed, 20 Jul 2016 09:12:26 +0000 Anagram 2588916@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Modern Daisy: If you try the later bed time again, give it a go for at least 2 weeks. It takes time for them to adjust. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/those-of-you-with-willfulchallenging-toddlers#post-2588915 Wed, 20 Jul 2016 09:12:25 +0000 Modern Daisy 2588915@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mamaof2: the snack is a good idea and something I hadn't thought of! He does eat dinner kind of early so it's been a long time since he's eaten by 5am. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/those-of-you-with-willfulchallenging-toddlers#post-2588914 Wed, 20 Jul 2016 09:11:36 +0000 Anagram 2588914@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Modern Daisy: try that tart cherry juice thing. You can get it at a health food store--you can google "tart cherry juice for sleep" and get the ratios, but you give your kid a few tablespoons a day, and it's supposed to make their overall sleep longer. You see results within a week or two. Some people swear by it. </p> <p>I attempted it, but the tartness is really, really tart and LO hated it and I kept forgetting to give it, and if it does work, I'm guessing it won't work when you aren't taking it every day. Some people mix it with regular juice. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/those-of-you-with-willfulchallenging-toddlers#post-2588913 Wed, 20 Jul 2016 09:10:29 +0000 Modern Daisy 2588913@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@hilsy85: we tried a later bedtime before, but it backfired every time and he got up at 4am. Plus he really does seem tired when we put him down, even though he stays up for a couple of hours anyway. I think he is tired but likes the down time of playing in his room alone. We can't shorten the nap when he is in daycare but on the weekends we make sure it isn't too long or too late. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/those-of-you-with-willfulchallenging-toddlers#post-2588912 Wed, 20 Jul 2016 09:10:12 +0000 hilsy85 2588912@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Modern Daisy: if you get up with him and play with him, he's not happy with that? Can you take him out to the front or back yard? Do chalk, bubbles, special toys, etc? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/those-of-you-with-willfulchallenging-toddlers#post-2588911 Wed, 20 Jul 2016 09:08:21 +0000 Mamaof2 2588911@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Modern Daisy: I would try wearing him out before bed - around 7pm go for a long walk - come home, have a snack and a bath and then go to bed - </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/those-of-you-with-willfulchallenging-toddlers#post-2588908 Wed, 20 Jul 2016 09:06:08 +0000 Modern Daisy 2588908@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Anagram: thanks for the input! We also modified our own behaviors to accommodate the early risings. I go to bed by 9 and we trade off who gets up with him, but the most frustrating thing is not being able to have guests stay with us or go anywhere due to his early wake ups. Seems like our family and friends all like to sleep in until around 8/9am with our moms being the worst, sleeping until 10/11. If we just have to accept it than so be it, but I am desperate to try anything that might help him get back to sleep or just stay quiet.. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/those-of-you-with-willfulchallenging-toddlers#post-2588907 Wed, 20 Jul 2016 09:05:35 +0000 avivoca 2588907@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Modern Daisy: Yeah, you might want to try moving bedtime back to 7:30 or 8:00. Other than that, can you move his bed so he doesn't have access to walls to bang on? Is the room dark enough? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/those-of-you-with-willfulchallenging-toddlers#post-2588905 Wed, 20 Jul 2016 09:02:54 +0000 hilsy85 2588905@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Modern Daisy: wait you put him in his room at 6;30 but he isn't falling asleep til 9?! I would definitely try a LATER bedtime then. Maybe the nap is screwing him up--at that age, when my LO napped his sleep was all messed up at night. You could try shortening the nap? Also, maybe try setting the clock for before he is making noise for a few days so he gets on a positive reinforcement cycle--like "oh wow good job, you were quiet until I came in!" (at 5:10 or something) and then greadually move it back? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/those-of-you-with-willfulchallenging-toddlers#post-2588901 Wed, 20 Jul 2016 09:01:21 +0000 Anagram 2588901@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Modern Daisy: Also wanted to say, there's no way our LO would stay in her room awake without us with the door locked--she would definitely scream and cry and bang on the door. One of us always has to be there with her, playing quietly--and then the other gets to "sleep in" till about 6:45 when the baby is up, too.</p> <p>On weekends, one parent will get up with both kids and the other can sleep till 8 or so, but generally in our house, we've had to shift our "night" to be more like 9pm to 5am rather than a lot of other people who might sleep 11-7 or whatever. Well, we are never in bed by 9, but usually by 10 and we know that means we have 7 hours (with the baby wakeups in there) until the big one is up. That's why we also trade off baby wakeups--whoever does baby wakeups does not have to get up with the older one in the morning. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/those-of-you-with-willfulchallenging-toddlers#post-2588899 Wed, 20 Jul 2016 09:00:33 +0000 Modern Daisy 2588899@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@hilsy85: we put him to bed at 6:30 and he is actually good about staying in his room and being quiet, but he reads/plays until 8-9pm so I don't really know how I can get him to fall asleep earlier. I set his alarm for 5:30 since his wake-ups seem to be between 5 -5:15ish. He also naps well during the day, from 12-2ish so that doesn't seem to be the issue either. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/those-of-you-with-willfulchallenging-toddlers#post-2588896 Wed, 20 Jul 2016 08:57:47 +0000 ShootingStar 2588896@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I think you have to figure out a way to make getting up less appealing for him than staying in his room. We had a period of a few days when DS was getting up at 5 (when he normally wakes after 7) and the first time DH got up and started playing with him. I was like "Oh Hell No." </p> <p>Does he ever fall back to sleep? With DS I know he's tired and he's not ready to get up for the day. So he could either come in our bed and be quiet, or he could go back to his room. After we started locking the door (I know you said you do this) he just went back to sleep.</p> <p>I'd set him up with some quiet and special toys, and also a reward system. And then do not give in. If he wakes and screams and bangs things, quietly and calmly go in and tell him it's not time to get up but if he wants he can play by himself with X or Y. Promise him some treat if he stays quiet until you come back. Give him a short amount of time and then go in with the reward (if he does it, of course). You want to set him up for success. Then extend the time longer and longer. </p>