Comments on: Now I Lay You Down to Sleep. Sleep, Already!

By: Momof4Luds

Momof4Luds — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 16:09:52 +0000

4 kids later, I swear by Ferber. Of course, 15 years from now you’ll be trying to figure out how to get them OUT of bed at a decent hour!

BTW, if anyone watches the hilarious “Modern Family”, Ferberizing figured heavily in last night’s show.

By: lala

lala — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 20:45:01 +0000

Amen! My future children (don’t have nay yet) don’t have a snowball’s chance in Heck of keeping me up and playing bedtime “I need water” and “tuck me in” games til 1am.

By: MommyTime

MommyTime — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 20:02:06 +0000

The doornob cover on the inside of the door is the only thing that finally worked for me to keep my toddler from popping out of ed 1 zillion times per night. That and the boring repetion of a single sentence (“It’s time for sleeping, I love you”) while putting him back in his bed. The first night, we did that 27 times. He was very frustrated. But it only took a few nights of that to get him to stay. Then the deal was: if you stay in your bed, the door can stay open; if you come out even once, we close it (with the door nob cover on the inside so he couldn’t open it). It was hell. But it was worth it. He sleeps like a dream now. Good luck! I have much sympathy for your torture.

By: Karin

Karin — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 15:12:47 +0000

You need a routine. w/o a routine, my kids are the devil too especially my almost 3 year old. Anyway, the way we solved the get up in the middle of the night problem was to make a little bed on our floor – not a particularly comfortable one but better than just the floor. Our 3 year old can come into our room, tell us he’s awake, get a hug and put his royal hynie in the dang bed! Our oldest needed this and our youngest needs this but our middle never had any sleep problems – if only they could all be like that!

By: Muirgen

Muirgen — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 14:30:59 +0000

I found it helpful to sit across the doorway with a book. I don’t look at or talk to them, but they stay in bed and quiet. If they get up, etc, I put them back in bed. The first night I was there 90 minutes; the second 30; the third 15; the fourth 3. They didn’t cry, because I was there.

Marc Weissbluth’s “Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child” – he’s a sleep disorder doc for kids – was also helpful.

By: Amy @ The Bitchin' Wives Club

Amy @ The Bitchin' Wives Club — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 14:04:59 +0000

I’m with Shell. If they can’t get out then the problem is solved.

Also, when they are a bit older they are easier to coerce. We did this thing where you explain that you have given them all kinds of bedtime privileges, i.e. their nightlight, their soft blankets, their stuffed animals, their stories, etc. If they do not sleep, they lose their privileges. Take away the privileges and they will stay put pretty quickly.

We’ve only made it all the way down to the blankets once.

By: Shell

Shell — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 13:20:22 +0000

Sleep- I’m in favor of tossing the kids in bed, blowing them a kiss from the door, and then pulling the door shut- with a childproof doorknob cover on their side of the door. Goodnight!

Okay, maybe there’s slightly more to it…but not much. I value my sleep.