I think I am losing it...

[ashleynjacy]

I am pregnant and just need to vent. I could use some advice too. I kinda wish I had never done the whole co-sleeping thing because I now have a 2 year old who won't lay down for a nap. EVERY SINGLE DAY is a battle! She screams and screams and screams. I also have not done a good job with discipline. I don't think I know how to discipline her... She is soooo strong willed. Please give me some direction.

[AshleyS.03]

Since she is only two you still have time to change this. Ok first what I would do (had to do) was sit her down with a piece of paper and crayon and tell her the rules and then write them on a piece of paper and draw a picture next to each rule. Then put it on the fridge so she can see the rules and when she breaks them take her to the fridge point to the rule she broke and put her in timeout (or whatever you decide you want to do) make the timeout place the same place everytime, set an alarm for two minutes when it goes off she can get up. As far as naps go I would be VERY consistent with her. Lay her down everyday at the same time. My daughter stopped taking naps when she turned two. So she has quiet time intstead where she reads books and stuff. Maybe try that and put her to bed very early like 7 (that is my kids bedtime anyway) and then she will be so tired out that hopefully you wont have to sleep with her then she might sleep a lot better and wake up either early or around a decent hour. If she wakes up early like 630 then that would be better she would be tired around noon and then you could lay her down and she would be more likely to fall asleep. She decide on the rules NOW and don't go back. The sooner the better, you dont want to deal with a cranky toddler and a newborn TRUST me it wares you down I did it like that when my husband was in Iraq and it was awful nobody was happy!

Good Luck
ashley

[littlemsmom]

No advise just hugs. My oldest daughter is very strong willed too and makes me feel like I've failed as a parent. So I know where you are coming from!

[remrath]

Originally Posted by AshleyS.03 Since she is only two you still have time to change this. Ok first what I would do (had to do) was sit her down with a piece of paper and crayon and tell her the rules and then write them on a piece of paper and draw a picture next to each rule. Then put it on the fridge so she can see the rules and when she breaks them take her to the fridge point to the rule she broke and put her in timeout (or whatever you decide you want to do) make the timeout place the same place everytime, set an alarm for two minutes when it goes off she can get up. As far as naps go I would be VERY consistent with her. Lay her down everyday at the same time. My daughter stopped taking naps when she turned two. So she has quiet time intstead where she reads books and stuff. Maybe try that and put her to bed very early like 7 (that is my kids bedtime anyway) and then she will be so tired out that hopefully you wont have to sleep with her then she might sleep a lot better and wake up either early or around a decent hour. If she wakes up early like 630 then that would be better she would be tired around noon and then you could lay her down and she would be more likely to fall asleep. She decide on the rules NOW and don't go back. The sooner the better, you dont want to deal with a cranky toddler and a newborn TRUST me it wares you down I did it like that when my husband was in Iraq and it was awful nobody was happy! Good Luck ashley

ITA!

[mommy2abigail]

I dont totally agree with the pp. 2 years old is still very young, still a baby. She needs you, and since you've followed your instincts until now, I would not try to force her into anything. What about a movie or other quiet activity instead of a nap? When I first got pregnant, my dd was a little over 2, and she was also fighting naps. We just watched a movie during nap time instead, and in a few weeks she went back to a nap. BTW, we don't do movies or tv usually. Had I not been pregnant and super tired, I wouldn't have done it. But in the end, a movie isn't worse than a tired, stressed out mommy. I put my computer in the living room, so I can sit in here with her and be online while she watches her movie. That hour is my 'rest'.
I think many times the more they feel your stress about it, the more they fight it you know? I would back waaaay off and see what happens. You can not force someone to sleep. You can have a quiet time, but you can't 'make' her sleep. If what you want is a time to lay down and rest, work to get that, while honoring her needs as well. For a while I would check out 20 books a week from the library, so she would have new books to look at everyday. We swapped movies with a friend of ours (we only own 3 movies that were given to us) so we didn't have to rent or buy new ones. Or check the library. Books on tape can be good, but I found my dd was a little young at just 2. Now, closer to three, she gets them a little more. Is she getting lots of outside/active play? We go to the park in the morning, when I feel my best and she runs around for 2-3 hours. This helps A TON in the nap department! She is now sleeping 1.5-2 hour naps pretty consistently. I'm due in a few weeks, and I know the only way to save my sanity is to let things go. HTH some.