Category Archives: sleep

Naptime Transitions

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This gnome might help. Check out the Etsy shop Ginger Little or other Etsy shops.

Dear Miss Faith,  I have a 3yo daughter and a 1.5yo son.  Our transition to naptime has been very hard, with lots of resistance from my daughter.  Getting her upstairs after lunch has become a real struggle. The rest of our day goes pretty smoothly, but nobody is enjoying this part.  Do you have any ideas for us to try?

Dear Mama,

My first thought is to try and find a way that she might be excited to go up. One idea is to have a special figurine (a small doll, a gnome or a fairy would work great) and each day before nap, you go upstairs by yourself and put the figurine somewhere that your daughter will be able to see it when she comes into the room. Then go downstairs, and as this ritual is getting established, you might tell a little story that contains a hint:

“I went upstairs, and while I was there, I saw the gnome. He told me that in his kingdom they love things that are soft, and he found something that was VERY soft in your room. He loves it! I wonder if he’ll still be there when we get upstairs? Let’s go and look!”

Then she might be eager to go upstairs and find him snuggling with her softest teddy bear. Once she finds him, have a special shelf that he can ‘live’ on where he can watch over her while she sleeps, making sure that she sleeps safe and sound.  The next day he might be looking at a book, peeking out from behind a curtain, sitting on the changing table, etc.

If you want to set yourself up for success, you can build it up before you start.  At lunch one day, tell a story about a little girl who had a special gnome-friend (or fairy friend, or whatever figure you’ll use) who would watch over her while she slept, and make sure that she was safe and sound.  This gnome would have all sorts of adventures while she was awake and playing, but as soon as it was time for sleep, there he’d be, waiting for her.  After telling this story a few times, you might ask, “Would YOU like a gnome friend to watch over you while you sleep, too?”  If she agrees, then before bed, call out softly, “If there are any gnomes around, this little girl would like to have a friend.”  Do this each time she goes to bed for several days, and then then one day before nap, set the gnome up and come downstairs.  Look at her excitedly and motion her up, putting a finger to your lips and tiptoeing upstairs.  Let her look around and find him.  Hooray!  A gnome friend for her!  Then establish where his spot will be to watch over her.  It will be up to you whether you let her play with the gnome during the day, but it may be that he keeps some of his magic by staying up on the shelf and only coming down when it’s time for her to go to bed.

Stories like this can also help children who get up many times in the night.  You can tell a story about a Guardian Angel or some other guardian who will watch over them.  Then if they wake up, they can look and see that their guardian is there, and they can know they are safe.

Warmly,    ~Miss Faith

 

I welcome questions and comments. Have a question or challenge of your own?  Email me at faith@joyfultoddlers.com 

Moving to a Big Kid Bed

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Dear Miss Faith,  Our daughter recently learned how to climb out of her crib, so we’ve  made the switch to a big-kid bed, and now everybody’s miserable.  We used to put her into her bed, give her a kiss and shut the door.  She’d chatter for about ten minutes, then fall asleep.  Now, she’s climbing out of bed and crying at the door.  I’ll put her back to bed a dozen times, but eventually she falls asleep on the floor by the door.  What should we do?   ~Exhausted Mom

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Help Getting to Sleep

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Hello,
My question is about my 20 month old and sleep. My daughter usually takes several hours to get to sleep no matter what. I really feel she doesn’t get enough sleep, and she is often exhausted but cannot seem to stop wiggling. She has always had a great deal of trouble sleeping, she is very active, smart, and has been overly alert since birth. She is quite sensitive to noise etc. but fine otherwise. I keep her routine as predictable as I can…esp around sleep times…and I make sure she plays outside for a while each day, but it seems she needs to much more to get to sleep. I am exhausted and a bit worried because we have a new baby coming soon.
ANY suggestions are appreciated. We have and continue to explore food allergies, sensory issues (i believe that is a contributing factor), we have a homeopath, have seen crainiosacral therapists etc. etc.
-Laura
Hi Laura,
Oh my gosh, what a challenge for you guys.  It sounds like you’re doing a lot of the things I would suggest, and how frustrating that none of it seems to work consistently.
I am currently reading a book that I am LOVING, and might be just what you need.  It is called “Sleepless in America:  Practical Strategies to Help Your Family Get the Sleep it Deserves,” by Mary Sheedy Kurcinka.  I’m only about half way through, but so far I’ve agreed with just about everything that she’s said.  She talks about how when children are sleep-deprived, their bodies emit stress hormones, which make it much harder to get to sleep.  She talks about teaching children how to relax their bodies, and she gives lots of tips on how to minimize stress levels throughout the day, and how to approach bedtime.  She’s not a cry-it-out proponent.  Her book is not focused on toddlers specifically, but she does address the issue of children who have always been jumpy and had trouble sleeping.
Setting the Mood

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