please help tired parents

[mnko]

Hi. we moved house 3 weeks ago and decided to move our daughter who is 17 mnts into her own room. we havent had a good sleep since. she has her tea @ 5.30pm and has rusk @ 7.30 them bedtime @ 8.30. but she wakes @ 2am everynite and wont go back asleep until 4am my wife works and i work 2 nites a week. we feel we have aged 10 years in the last 3 weeks. my wife now wants our daughter back in our room as she slept well before. please if anyone can give us some ideas. a work friend suggested a drop of whiskey in her nite time milk but were not going down that route. many thanks in advance........2 desperate tired parents

[devilwoman]

i'm so glad you're not taking the whisky advice' thats the silliest thing i'vr heard, if you bring her back into your room she may well sleep well and that gives you both rest but it starts all over again when you try her in her own room so best do it now, how about giving her a bath before bed plus story kisses and cuddles ect, night light, be firm when she gets up take her back to bed without talking/shouting/ eye contact cover her up and leave the room, you could do this up to12 times a night, you will be knackered but me strong its the only way, let her cry too i know its hard but its the only way, i wish i could give an instan solution to your problem, but there is'nt one, sorry all the best to you all.

[noxlumos]

Personally I'd put her back in your room if she's happier there, but it may not even be that. It might be that the house move has unsettled her a little. Parenting should never be a fight imho, particularly about bedtime, so whatever you do keep it light or it will spread to other areas of your child's behaviour and you really don't want that.Kids can get spooked in new surroundings at night so bear with her for a bit and for goodness sakes get some sleep even if that means you have her back in your room for a while. It's not wrong to try several times before your little one chooses to settle in their own rooms, but I think it is wrong to make a huge issue out of it, as things are better achieved if everything is pleasant and light. A howling, crying kid, can't sufficiently compose themselevs to do as you wish them to, so as a parent I think we have to make the adjustments and prepare them properly for sleeping alone. Some get to that stage quicker than others, but we've honestly never had any problems getting ours to do so because we wait until we think THEY are ready, not when we'd like it to happen.Good luck.

[~posy-jo~]

i wouldn't put her back in your room it might be the anxiety of being in a new room as to why she's not settling and then if you put her back in your room and then move her back she will get even more confused. can you move her routine by 1/2 hour dinner at 6 then a rusk at 8 then bed at 9. for the first few nights sit in the corner of her room until she drops off just for a bit of reassurance. don't close her door and leave a night light or something similar on for continuity. try a cuddly toy that lights up when you squeeze it so if she wakes up press it on for her so she has that to focus on hopefully she will work out how to turn it on herself and sooth herself if she wakes up. our son went through this phase when he went into his own room. remember it won't last forever. good luck xXx

[Blyss]

Your daughter seemed to be feeling quiet unstettled with the new house and the new bedroom , she may feel a bit detached from you and your wife and a bit scared of her new surroundings . For the time being I would place her back into your bedroom , and make a big deal of dojng up her room , lettin her help with the painting choosing and wallpaper , all her fave tv charchters and the like??
she then might see it as a more fun and more her own place and she will settle a bit better.
Also does he only have 1 rusk before bed ,, if so it doesnt seem a lot and maybe shes a bit hungry??
I am sure you will worked it out ,, and belive me it will pass , she wont want to share your bedroom when shes 12 ..lol

[dancecaller]

We moved house when my daughter was 12 months and she wouldn't let us out of her sight for a while.

So, with hindsight, not a good time to change sleeping arrangements.

Could you put a 'shake-down' on your floor and let her snuggle down there when she wakes? Otherwise move her back for a while, you need your sleep.

[tinythang]

try giving her treats every time she goes to bed and stays quiet...also try playing with her as much as you can in the day to tire her out... also try telling her that if she goes to sleeep, and stays asleep all night, that the fairies might come (could work!). And buy her a special soft teddy to help her stay comforted. P.S if nothing works, try buying some thinking putty from www.firebox.com to stop your stress.