We have a 2 1/2 year old who is wonderful, wonderful child. He has been waking up at night and can't seem to fall back asleep for 1-2 hours. Here is a typical night: Conar will wake up and come into my room asking for a drink. He is only allowed water (because I felt that maybe his waking up and asking for milk was part of the problem so I just eliminated it in the past week). I stay with him for about 10 minutes and let him know as 2 minutes approaches before I have to leave. Other than that I don't talk or have any conversation. If he tries to talk, I will just say, "It's time for night nights". When I try to leave, that is when the crying begins! I tell him that it is time for night nights and he is to stay in his room. I go into my room (which is all of 3 feet away) and listen. Inevitably he comes in the room crying for me or my husband. Without saying a word, we guide him back to his room. After he comes in 2 or 3 times, we tell him that if he is choosing to come out of this room then we will have to put the gate up. He hates this and so do we but if he comes out again we put it up. Of course he flips out. I go back into bed and tell him that if he calms down we will take the gate down. He usually does calm down enough and we take the gate down but then he starts crying again for a very long time. :cry: He doesn't come out of his room - but he is crying loudly. We will say "It's night nights, we love you" from our bed but we only do that a couple of times because we dont want to engage in a whole conversation.
We are so frustrated! I am expected a baby in 5 weeks and know that his insecurity could be coming from that, but how do I help him fall back asleep with doing more "accidental parenting"?? HELP! HELP! HELP!
:cry:
