Bedtime Woes

I don't think this is the first time I've used this blog title...unfortunately.  Oh the dreaded bedtime.  It has become such a struggle, which is so disappointing after working so hard to ensure that Miles is a good sleeper.  I've been assured by many friends that this is just a phase and that it will pass.  Nonetheless, it is. not. fun.

Bedtime consists of two major problems.  First is the process of actually getting him to sleep.  He pretty much loses his mind at the mention of bedtime.  For a while he was saying that he was scared.  The most common complaint was purple monsters.  We've left lights on, doors open, gotten special stuffed animals, blankets, etc.  We were sympathetic about him being scared at first and then it got to where I think he was just playing us.  Sometimes Mack sleeps with him and that seems to make him happy.  Other nights he is adamant that he does not want Mack to sleep with him.  He screams, cries, and gets up over and over no matter how many times you take him back.  You get the picture....going to sleep = disaster.

The second problem is staying in his bed all night long.  We have never let him sleep with us consistently.  We have randomly for one reason or another, but never consistently.  Now, every night some time between 1-5am, he comes to our room and wants to get in bed with us, which we have totally given into.

So, those are the two problems.  Luckily we have found a temporary solution to the first problem.  I say temporary b/c I've learned that every "fix" with kids is temporary and you just have to ride it until it doesn't work anymore.  The answer?  Melatonin.  Ahhhh.  It is basically a vitamin that calms and promotes sleep.  A friend that takes her children to my Lyme doctor said that he approved 1-3mg in children ages 3+.  We were all over that suggestion.  The first night we gave him 3mg b/c I take it too and that's the dosage I had.  He fell asleep face first on the couch within 20 minutes, and then slept all night in his bed.  Since then we adjusted the dosage a little but ended back at 3mg.  Anything less than that did not work.  He's been able to take 3mg, walk to bed calmly, and fall asleep quickly.  There is no crying, no struggling, and no getting up 100 times.

Unfortunately, staying in his bed only worked the first night.  He's gotten up the past 4 nights and gotten in bed with us...

 

I can be pretty hard core with him at bedtime about staying in his bed, but it's totally different at 2am.  It just doesn't seem like making him go to bed and getting him all upset is a winning situation for anyone at that hour.  Another friend recommended a reward chart.  Good idea.  I had it whipped up in 5 minutes...

He wants a Buzz costume so badly.  So, the idea was that if he stayed in his bed until his clock turned green, he would get a sticker for his chart.  Once all the boxes were filled up, he would get a Buzz costume.  He was VERY excited.  Alas, I think the idea of delayed gratification is lost on him.  We started it two nights ago and he's gotten up both nights.  We're trying it again tonight.  He seems so excited when we talk about it at bedtime, but not so much when we remind him at 2am.

Wow...really long explanation of bedtime.  With that, I'm going to bed b/c he is asleep and I have Big Brother to watch.  Good night all!