Hello!

I’m having heaps of trouble getting my 2 yr old (not toilet trained) to settle at night (he was great up until a month ago, still sleeps 12:30-2 everyday). He goes down at 6:45-7pm and will be fine for about 20 min then he will scream until I go to him then after a cuddle he will generally settle for a few hrs. He will wake and I used to be able to give him a quick cuddle then he would go back to sleep but lately he will scream 20 mins later. I can not let him scream as my older son needs sleep. I ended up sleeping on his floor last night. Not sure what time he went back to sleep there has been no change in routine or anything else that might have upset him. He is fine for sleep during the day. It is getting me quite down. HELP PLEASE. Thanks.


Want more real mum questions sent to you?

You'll need to check this email to complete your signup.
  • Bedtime fears – the dark, monsters under the bed, and sleeping alone – are all common at this age. They tend to start around age 2 and may last until age 8 or 9. These are the years when your child’s powers of imagination are exploding, which means that now he can imagine new and scary things to be afraid of.
    At bedtime, remind your child that everything is OK and they’re safe. Nothing will bother them, and they can sleep comfortably in their own bed all night. This will help reinforce to your child to trust that their own bed is a safe place. Give them reassurance and leave their room.


  • Good luck with that. Sleep issues are common in kids, but not so easy to fix


  • he is screaming cause he knows you will come, let him scream, he is 2, he is not a baby. just explain to your older son it should only take a few nights and he should settle, if it takes longer then a week for him to sleep properly then I suggest taking him to see a specialist.


  • Your little one may not like try to sleep in a wet nappy expecially if he suffers from nappy rash. You will know if he has dirtied his nappy as you will smell it and it will “burn” his skin if left too. Have you tried puttting a pillow under the head of his mattress? He may feel uncomfortable or even nauseous when laying flat. Has he had a nightmare at some time when her was really scared for awhile. He may be having flash-backs of that. I did as a small child and still do with later dreams occasionally, often when I have only been asleep for a few minutes, sometimes nearer to normal wake up time.


  • If you didn’t want your son to go to bed later you could try with lots more activity earlier in the afternoon then quiet time an hour before bed. If he wakes do as the super nanny does go in comfort him and sit on the bed and slowly move towards the door without saying anything or looking at him, every 10 mins until it’s been 1/2 an hour then leave the room


  • Try breaking the habit and letting ur 2 yr old stay up till 730 doing quiet activity or reading


  • Hi maybe try putting him to bed 1/2 hour later, I found with my children at that age they settled easier if they hadn’t been watching any TV,it was too much stimulation before bed,do you think he is scared of the dark if so maybe a little night light could help,if your not changing his nappy because he is wet or dirty when he first wakes , nothing to do with toilet training.Sometimes it can be hard to pin point what’s wrong, especially if his not sick or anything


  • You could possibly try putting him down later in the evening? My little one will go down at 7 but she always wakes an hour later like shed just had a nap.


  • I’m a young mother of a 22 month old little boy who enjoys using the potty. Not quite sure if I should start toilet training him full on or should I let him slowly do it. So Confusing.


Post your reply
Add a photo
Your MoM account


Lost your password?

Enter your email and a password below to post your answer and join MoM:

↥ Back to top

Thanks For Your Star Rating!

Would you like to add a written rating or just a star rating?

Write A Rating Just A Star Rating
Join