How do you get a 3 year old to go to bed!!??? - Page 2

stevesgal · 11-24-2006, 09:14 PM

This may sound bad but I let my daughter watch a movie (a short one) and she has to stay in bed (she only has a tv for her relax time- she relaxes and watches a show in her room instead of a nap- keeps her and me sane). What really helped with her staying in there was no more naps, she does get out on occasion, mainly for a drink or use the potty.

kotasmomma03 · 11-25-2006, 09:11 AM

I've found I have to be really firm with my son when he doesn't stay in bed or listen to me. He knows when I'm just irritated and when I really mean business. We try to avoid spanking, but if it becomes obvious nothing else is working, we will give him a little swat on the rear. He wears a pull-up at bedtime so it doesn't really hurt him, just gets the message across that we're not playing around. My husband and I were both raised in homes where spanking was the norm. I don't want it to become the norm in our house, but if needed, I do not hesitate to lay down the law. Kids can be little out of control crazy beasts if they are allowed to do whatever with no consequences and I've found my son could care less if I threaten to take away a toy and sometimes just goes into a fit if I mention it. I don't want to tease him like a bully would, but rather be his parent and make sure he knows I am the boss, not him. I hope this doesn't make me sound like a horrible mom. I really love my son and believe me, he is very well taken care of and even spoiled. I just have a problem with letting him run the roost while DH and I are constantly stressed trying to avoid being too harsh. I would rather spank him than endure a long drawn out bedtime routine EVERY single night. He wouldn't benefit from it anymore than we would. JMO

By the way, bedtime is not a problem for us anymore. He goes to bed easy as pie with no conflicts at all...we have a routine and now that he knows there is no getting out of it, he happliy complies with no fuss. Its soooo nice!

camile75 · **How do you get a 3 year old to go to bed!!???**

Quote:

Originally Posted by blessed_with_6

We are just firm. We say a prayer with them..and put them to bed. End of it. If they get up, it better be for a darn good reason. We have never beat them or anything..but we also have just never allowed them to win the power struggle. You might just try making a list of new rules and then giving him the list of consequences...a toy taken away, a fun thing planned if he DOES stay in, etc. Good luck.

This works FINALLY, for us. It me some time to be as firm as DH but I did it! I may be called several times before he really goes to sleep but once I say that's it, that's it. I have also done the short movie thing or even a snack such as fruit or crackers and that last run around the table usually works for us. I even leave a book for him to read or thumb through the pages until he falls to sleep. *Stay strong you can do it!