Playing mummy up!

[Freya'sMum]

Transferred Eryn, a self-settling 2 year old, from a cot to a bed on Sunday, and it's a bloody nightmare !

The temptation of being able to get out is just too much for her cheeky nature and every night since the transfer she has taken 2 hours to get to sleep! I must have rapid returned her 200+ times, focused all my energy on not reinforcing the undesired behaviour (getting up), offered a variety of incentives to reinforce the desired behaviour (staying in bed), but nothing is working, she is just amused by the 'game'.

I can't just leave her to potter about in her room until she falls asleep (altho I'm sure she'd be happy to do that) because she shares with her big sister and will disturb her (not just with noise, but by climbing on her etc ). Nothing else has changed, we have a previously successful wind-down routine (tea, quiet time, bath, massage, supper, stories, bed)!

How can I keep her in bed? I don't have the time or energy to do this for long, 2 hours out of my evening is massive with all the other stuff I have to do 'coz I work all day. Plus the 2 hours less sleep she's getting a night is having a detrimental effect on her behaviour in the day!

Any ideas gratefully received

Ax

[woopster]

Make it boring for her. Don't talk to her, don't make eye contact. Just put her back to bed and walk out. She'll crack before you do!

Does she go to bed before big sis?

[Freya'sMum]

No, they go at the same time, Freya needs her sleep, goes to bed at 7pm, is sound asleep by 7.02pm!!!

I've done the boring rapid return thing, no communication, no eye-contact, but she's like the Energiser Bunny, she still thinks it's a marvellous game to play "mummy puts me in bed, I get up, she puts me back, I get up, she puts me back - hey, I can do this all night!" but mummy doesn't want to play it all night because after 2 hours of that I still have to do the housework, and my moderating and other grown up stuff, maybe even some ME time, and a decent sleep before it all starts again at the crack of dawn the next day!

The novelty will wear off right?

Ax

[woopster]

Could she go to bed half hour earlier? Is that practical?