Content

• Steps
• Method 1 of 3: Set your sleep mode
• Method 2 of 3: Avoid irritants
• Method 3 of 3: What to do if your child is naughty

Many parents of two-year-olds quickly begin to understand why this period is called difficult. In addition to the general difficulties of parents of two-year-olds, some of them find it difficult to put their children to sleep alone at night. Up to the age of two, babies become accustomed to the usual ritual of falling asleep, and, as a rule, any change in this program is accepted with resistance. However, you can quickly and easily put your baby to bed every night if you establish proper sleep patterns, eliminate irritants, and refrain from some common mistakes.

Steps

Method 1 of 3: Set your sleep mode

1. 1 Give your child a low-sugar meal for dinner. Sugar-rich foods can cause low blood sugar. Low blood sugar makes you want to eat something sweet, which can make your baby feel anxious and cry. Try to give your child organic foods, fruits and vegetables at night. Also, avoid sugary and fruity drinks as they tend to be high in sugar.
2. 2 Reduce your toddler's activity level in the early evening hours. Calm your child down an hour or so before dinner. Move from active, hectic games to calming activities such as reading a book or singing songs.
   • Before dinner, turn off the television and leave it on until you put your child to bed.
   • After dinner, bathe your child in a warm bath - this will calm him both emotionally and physically. Try adding a little lavender soap to the water, or using a lavender-scented shampoo. The scent of lavender has a calming effect.
3. 3 Put your baby to bed at the same time. Decide when to put your baby to bed, and be sure to start the bedtime routine at the same time every night. After just a week, most children are comfortable with the new rules and expect bedtime every night.
4. 4 Go through all the stages of getting ready for bed. Let the baby know that bedtime is approaching so that it does not come as a surprise to him. Buy a child, brush his teeth, and take out a blanket or his favorite stuffed animal.
5. 5 Let your child make decisions. Perhaps the baby is anxious about the fact that he is not able to in any way affect the sleep pattern. Give him some choice. At the same time, limit the options to simplify the choice. For example, ask your child what story he wants to hear before bed.
   • Place two different pajamas on the bed so your child can choose their own nightwear.
   • While bathing, ask your baby what song he would like to hear.
6. 6 Make sure that all of your needs are met before bed. Before you put your baby to bed, make sure that he does not need anything. Give your child some water to keep them thirsty and make sure they use the toilet. You can also give your toddler something light to eat, such as an apple, so that he is not hungry.
   • If your child is learning to potty, don't give him too much water at night so you don't have to wake up in the middle of the night!
   • If the child continues to demand something before bedtime, it is possible that he is just being naughty because he does not want to go to bed.
7. 7 Stay close to your baby until he falls asleep. This will help the two-year-old child fall asleep more easily, he will not feel lonely. Read a fairy tale to your child, talk to him about the past day and discuss plans for tomorrow.
8. 8 Stay within sight of your baby as he adjusts to his new bedtime routine. This will help the child feel safe and gradually learn to fall asleep on their own. Stay with your child for a week, and then start leaving the bedroom as soon as he is in bed.
   • Stay in his room and do something simple and quiet while the baby is in his crib or bed. Fold up your laundry, create a family budget, check your mail, or just read a book.
   • Explain to your baby that you will stay in the room with him until he falls asleep, but this is a time for sleep, not for playing or talking.
9. 9 Turn on the night light. Perhaps the child does not want to be alone due to the fact that he is afraid of the dark. This is easily solved: leave the night light on so that the baby is not afraid of total darkness.

Method 2 of 3: Avoid irritants

1. 1 Limit your TV viewing, in particular certain TV programs. Scary movies and TV shows can scare your child and they won't want to be left alone in their bedroom. Allow your baby to watch only those programs that are designed for children of his age. Make sure your child does not watch TV for more than two hours a day.
2. 2 Let your child know that bedtime is approaching. Ten minutes before bed, say, "Do you want to go to bed right now or in ten minutes?" Even though your child is likely to choose a 10-minute snooze, you give him a choice, he will feel that he too is in control of his regime, and will be more willing to go to bed at the scheduled time.
3. 3 Play soothing lullabies. The child will fall asleep faster with soothing music. Some children, like adults, do not like falling asleep in complete silence.Take an old mobile phone and write an app with lullabies on it so that your baby can turn them on before bed.
4. 4 Establish specific sleep rules. Let your baby know that he should not leave bed after you have said good night to him. While this behavior should not be punished, it is necessary to be firm and train your child to follow this rule. If the child gets up, put him back to bed and do not let him climb into your bed. Do not discuss the rules with your child, even if they seem unfair to him.
5. 5 Create positive associations with your baby's bedroom. If the child does not want to go to bed, remind him how good it is in his bedroom. This will convince him to stay in bed.
   • Tell your child: “If I were you, I would not want to leave this beautiful room. Just take a look at these beautiful stickers and toys! It's really wonderful here! ”
   • If your child is used to playing in his room, it may be difficult for him to associate it with sleep. If this is the case, consider separating your play area and sleeping area.
6. 6 Encourage your baby. Create a calendar and reward your child for each night he sleeps alone. Mark with an asterisk the nights he slept apart from you. After seven nights in a row, reward your child with something more meaningful, such as giving him a game or going to the cinema with him.
7. 7 Share the responsibility of putting your child to bed with your spouse. Consider having your spouse put your baby to bed occasionally to allow them to communicate before bed. In addition, this way you can calm your child, and he will feel more secure. However, make sure that the set sleep mode is not disturbed.

Method 3 of 3: What to do if your child is naughty

1. 1 Avoid crying and asking your baby to postpone bedtime. If you do this once, you will make it clear to the kid that the rules can be broken. Unlike older children, a two-year-old child does not understand what an exception is, so he will only understand that you can cry and beg every night to get what he wants.
2. 2 Develop your fears. If the child is afraid to sleep alone, reassure and convince him. As you do this, talk about specific fears your baby is experiencing. Directly ask the child why he is crying, and perhaps he will answer this question. Use a little joke to cheer and distract your child. You can also show him your love and sympathy.
   • To distract the child, you can tell him the following: “There really are no monsters in the room, but do you know what is under your bed? Toys! Lots of toys! ”
   • To show sympathy, say, “I'm sorry you feel this way. I don’t want you to be afraid, because there’s nothing to worry about under your bed. Hope you fall asleep soon. Goodnight!"
   • If necessary, consider some additional measures, such as keeping the bedroom door open to make the child feel safer.
3. 3 Caress your baby lightly. Sometimes babies cry simply because they need a little love and affection. Take the baby in your arms and rock it for a few minutes to calm him down. While you may be tired of your baby's moods before bedtime, it can help him calm down and fall asleep faster.
4. 4 Avoid giving the baby a cry. Don't let your baby cry for a long time. Once the crying of a two-year-old comes to violent sobs, it becomes much more difficult for him to stop. Children of this age do not know how to control their emotions, and if you leave the child alone at night crying instead of comforting him, he may feel "forsaken".
   • Let your baby cry for no more than 5 minutes. If he continues to cry after this, go to the bedroom and calm him down.
5. 5 Every time your baby gets up, put him back to bed. It doesn't matter how many times the child gets up at night - it is necessary to put him to bed every time. Even if the baby is unhappy and crying, you should put him back to show that he is serious about his intentions. Your child may test you this way several times, but you must not give in!
6. 6 Don't get angry and stay calm. It can be difficult to cope with a crying toddler who refuse to go to bed at night. Stay in control and never lose your temper. Don't shout or raise your voice; instead, communicate the rules in a tone that is both firm and affectionate. Sometimes it’s not easy, but remember to hold back. You will surely succeed!
   • If you start to get angry and feel that it may affect your behavior, leave the bedroom for a while. Wash your face with cold water or drink a glass of cold juice.
   • To calm down, you can also silently count to 10 and take a few deep breaths and exhalations.