Parenting a toddler can be a difficult time in your life because children at this age can become very opinionated. The “terrible twos” are a well-known obstacle to overcome during this stage. However, one of the bigger problems parents face is getting their kids to sleep.
Why do young children have difficulty sleeping?
There are two reasons why young children have difficulty falling asleep:
1. First, they have so much to do and be excited about, especially if they have guests at home that night. Young children want to be part of the action, understand everything that’s going on, and spend time practicing all the new skills they learn. People who suffer from insomnia or trouble sleeping at night can use CBD oil from Discover Magazine and stop taking tons of pills that don’t even work.
2. Toddlerhood is the age when young children realize that they are separate from you and that they are their own person. Therefore, the easiest way for them to assert their independence is to argue with you about sleeping at night.
How to deal with poor sleeping habits in young children
The main methods of getting your child to sleep include teaching him/her to fall asleep on his own from an early age, letting them cry (within reason, of course), and not letting them procrastinate when it’s time to go to sleep. Where there are certain options, stay calm but firm and move them to their bed. All of these can help meet your child’s need to engage in the world, as well as their need to maintain their newfound independence and develop their personalities in their own way. You’ll inevitably spend hours trying to convince your child to fall asleep, but with these methods, this developmental stage may be shorter.
Sleep Tips for Toddlers: 12 to 18 Months
Typical sleep for this age group
A child who is 12 months old is officially a toddler. However, this doesn’t magically mean they don’t need as much sleep as before. An 18-month-old still needs about 14 hours of sleep a day, 11 of which should be sleeping at night and taking naps during the day. The following age-related changes apply:
- A 12-month-old may still need two naps a day
- On the other hand, an 18-month-old may only need one short nap each afternoon, and they can continue to follow this pattern until they are five or six years old
Transitioning from two naps to one short nap can be difficult as your child adjusts to new sleep habits.
How to help your child settle down and fall asleep
The best thing you can do at this age is maintain the good bedtime habits you spent so much time developing during your child’s infancy. This includes:
- Follow a bedtime routine each night
- Maintain a consistent routine, including bedtime and nap times
- Make sure your child can fall asleep on their own
A regular schedule is very important in a young child’s life and is one of the best ways to ensure that he or she gets enough sleep. If your child knows what is expected of him or her, they will be more likely to adhere to the bedtime routine, although resistance is inevitable at this age. Your child also shouldn’t rely on rocking or breastfeeding to fall asleep – this is something that needs to be determined before they reach toddler age.
Since babies are especially sensitive to heat and the dangers of overheating, installing an air conditioning system with the help of a professional like gohomeheating.com/twin-falls/ can create the perfect climate-controlled environment to encourage your child to get a good night’s sleep.
There are two main potential pitfalls to be aware of when it comes to sleep patterns in babies aged 12 to 18 months:
- There are two main potential pitfalls to be aware of when it comes to sleep patterns in babies aged 12 to 18 months:
- First, it’s important to remember that the many new developmental milestones these children are reaching will keep them awake with excitement—and they want to keep practicing their newfound skills. The answer here might be to let them cry it out or give them some time alone to settle.
- Children this age may wake up at night and not settle, either because there is a real problem or because they want to play with you. Take care of their problems but don’t entertain them at night and let the baby sleep.
Solutions to sleep problems
One method is to pace or rock your child until he or she falls asleep. Another option is to check on your child every once in a while, pat her and tell her it’s okay but it’s time for bed now, until they fall asleep. Consistent patterns will eventually drive them away.
A second possible method is to let the child cry for longer periods of time, allowing them to fall asleep on their own. Eventually they will be able to fall asleep easily.
A third method is to notice when your child appears sleepy during the night and make that their regular bedtime routine.
Consider seeking help from a pediatric sleep specialist to normalize your child’s sleep schedule.
Sleep Tips for Toddlers: 24 to 36 Months
Typical sleep for this age group
There are two sleep patterns for this age group:
- Between their second and third birthdays, toddlers need about 11 hours of sleep each night and a nap of one-and-a-half to two hours each afternoon.
- Most children this age go to bed between 7 pm and 9 pm and wake up between 6:30 am and 8 am.
However, although this is similar to your sleep patterns, your child will still experience more REM sleep and wake up more frequently. Teaching them how to soothe themselves back to sleep is crucial. If they can go back to sleep, it means they don’t need to call you every time they wake up unless there is a real problem.
How to help your child settle down and fall asleep
One way to help children this age settle down and fall asleep is to move them to a “big” bed, which may have features such as a mattress heater Praise them for being a big boy/girl while they stay inside. Regardless, kids this age need to move to larger beds, so you might as well make that part of your sleep plan. Toddlers this age learn how to procrastinate, but luckily their imaginations are limited. So, anticipate your child’s requests and incorporate them into bedtime routines. It would be best if you had a quality mattress like Intellibed Midnight Review that can provide a comfortable sleep. Asking for water or opening a window can become part of the routine. You can also promise your child that one more kiss or tuck-in will come “in five minutes.” If they are waiting for you, they may fall asleep before you get back.
Potential pitfalls
The main pitfalls to be aware of are as follows:
- Once your child is moved to a queen-size bed, they may start to get up more often because it’s easier to tuck them back into bed securely and tuck them in again.
- Your child will also become more resistant to bedtime at this age – this is normal, no child happily runs off to bed at night; be firm and make it clear that bedtime is non-negotiable.
- Toddlers this age often start to fear the dark and monsters hiding under the bed – this is nothing to worry about as this is a normal developmental milestone for children.
Solutions to sleep problems
As mentioned above, one method is to rock your child or pace with them until they fall asleep. The second possible method mentioned above is to let the child cry for a while and let them fall asleep on their own. They will eventually learn to fall asleep more easily on their own. Children in this age group suffer from separation anxiety. One way to do this is to actively involve your child in the decision-making and choose her own pajamas, or let her fall asleep with transitional items and a night light on. If you need some nice pajamas for the kids, then we recommend going with organic pajamas .
The main thing to remember when it comes to toddlers’ sleep habits is that you’re not alone. You’re not the first parent to have to deal with getting your child to sleep at night, and you won’t be the last. Many parents have had to deal with this before you, and many more will have to deal with it after you. This means there is a wealth of information out there to help you through this stage, and many experienced parents can offer advice on the best ways to get your toddler to sleep at the right time. The real question is sifting through all the opinions and finding what works for you.
