Help with GW

[Jenn+Ethan+Emily]

We are doing GW with Ethan as we have fallen into some awful habits over once the birth of his sister

We need to get things under control and have been doing GW with him. He always wants someone in the room with him. We have gotten to the point with GW that we are sitting in the hallway with his room door closed. He will occasionally call out just to make sure someone is there. We are only saying "it's time to sleep" when he calls out. Nothing more.

The problem is, we cannot get any further away without him getting out of bed and standing by the gate. We have tried the pick him up, put him back in his bed without making a sound or fuss but he thinks that's a game and will tell us to come put him in bed if we stop. He giggles the whole time. So we stopped with that and are now doing GW.

How do we move on from outside his door in the hallway?

Thanks!

[Tweakster]

I think you just move away and let him stand at the gate...is he yelling?  You tell him it's bedtime and that's it.  That you are going to bed yourself and that you will see him in the morning.  And then you leave and don't go back.

[Jenn+Ethan+Emily]

Oh yes, he's yelling, crying, laughing, screaming, chatting and yelling some more Then he empty his entire room of everything (literally everything...the vent cover, plug covers, he takes the sheets of his bed, you name it) and then cries that he doesnt have any of the things. We ignore and then half an hour later, he is beside himself in hysterics. I do not understand this kid and bedtime. He goes down for a nap no problem!

[Tweakster]

Then it sounds like a phase, albeit an ill-timed phase, but I think you either have to let him do all of the above and ignore it, it won't go on forever - probably just a few days or a week of consistency will be enough to cure it OR you stay outside his door like you do now until he stops getting out of bed and standing at the gate.  If there's no payoff for him he will eventually stop doing it but there's no timeframe on that I'm afraid.  Could your DH be the designated door sitter so you can deal with Emily?

When do you get the results of his tests? 

Do you get the sense that he's not tired Jenn or what does his day look like now?  Have you had any consistency lately (I mean other than him consistently fighting bedtime lol)

[Jenn+Ethan+Emily]

We get the results on the 22nd.

He always, always seems tired. His sleep totals aren't bad right now. Best they have been for probably a year.

He wakes at 6am, naps from 12:30-2pm, asleep by 8pm most nights. Usually 1 NWing around 2 or 3am. DH is working on keeping in his room. So far it's going quite well.

So I guess the other thing that is most likely playing a big role, is teeth. Honestly when are these stupid things going to pop through?!? He has been working on his two year molars since he was 22 months old. Not a single one in sight. But bright red cheeks, drooling like crazy, chewing on everything, constantly telling me his teeth hurt. We are medicating, but it's doing nothing.

I know, ride it out, right? I have honestly been riding it out for 8, going on 9 months.

Torture!

Oh I should add that this "consistency" has started as of the time change, so yes all of 4 days lol.