Tag Archives: toddler

I got my eye on you guys : How to get a difficult toddler to nap in the afternoon.

Its Saturday 1pm, A2’s crying hysterically standing in her crib. She has to nap so I can catch up with the things I need to do. Maybe if I’m lucky and the stars align I can sneak in a little nap or even a shower? There’s nothing wrong with being hopeful.

I just need her to nap so that I can at least catch up to the mess they’ve done. A2’s new favorite hobby is to empty drawers and closets onto the floor. Thank goodness she’s gotten over her habits involving toilet water…

I go into her room, she’s crying and has got her arms out for me… they do that just to melt your heart.

Me: Do you want to sleep with the teddy bear?

A2: NO!

Me: Do you want to sleep with the rabbit?

A2: NO!

I’m going around the room at thins point, grabbing each stuffed animal I see and showcasing it like a price is right model as I ask her..

“Do you want to sleep with the Pony?”

A2:NO!

We went through the monkey, hello kitty, Whinny the Pooh, who are all sitting on the night stand.

No, No, No.

I get mad,

at the stuffed animals.

“Quick! Go to sleep! All of you! Everyone’s heads down!”

Sounded like a hold-up.

And I put all the stuffed animals heads down.

“ Look at how A2 is sleeping quietly, I want you all to do the same as her! You’re all gona drink your milks and then sleep just like A2!”

A2 followed and put her head down.

She’s looking at me with a big smile on her face, so proud to be in charge. She glanced over at the collection of stuffed animals who are all lying down, and points her index finger at them, then put her head down and went to sleep.

I think she meant “I got my eye on you guys”.

And I left the room.

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A Happy Parenting Secret: How to deal with a toddler’s bed time tantrums.

Lately A2’s been throwing bed time tantrums. She’s almost 2 now. She decides she wants to go to bed, grabs her pacifier, blanket and bottle, does her rounds, says good night to everyone in the house, goes up the stairs and willing goes into her crib. All seems well … until we leave the room.

I’m sitting on a rocking chair, in the hallway, right outside A2’s bedroom where she can see me.

She’s standing up in her crib yelling. She just threw her pacifier, bottle and blanket out.

A2: “Mommmmmmmmmmy!”

Me: “Mommy’s here.”

I just got up, and handed her the pacifier and blanket. She reached out her arms “Please! Please!” and she’s crying really hard. I went back to my chair.

“Mommy’s here” is all I keep repeating.

I’m trying this technique I was taught when A1 was throwing bed time tantrums a few years ago. It worked back then with her, now I’m hoping it will work on A2.

I was told by a family member who is the principal of a daycare, to sit outside her room where she could see me. Make sure you’re not IN her room, she specified. So back then I set up the rocking chair outside A1’s room and I would sit there for 30 to 40 minutes every day until she fell asleep. I was pregnant with A2 then. I loved that time on that chair. If something needed to be done during the day I would leave it for “chair time”, I would fold the laundry, sow, even iron in that spot. Oh I just remembered how Jack would make me ginger tea for my nausea back then. And when I finished my chores, I would read. I’ve never read as much as I’ve read in this chair outside A1’s room.

Here I am, almost two years later, in the same spot.20130625-220158.jpg

It seems to have workedon A2. She’s not crying anymore, and she has her head down.

I love the chair time because you’re on duty but it’s still “me” time.  I’m so happy to be sitting here again. I guess this is where I’ll be blogging from now on.

Now that the Stanley Cup has been won and there’s no more Hockey I was worried about when I’ll have  the chance to blog…but everything worked out.

She’s fallen asleep.

Most of the time I question my parenting skills and wonder if I’m doing the right thing, but it feels so good when I know I’ve done something right.

I’m really happy to be on the chair again, I had forgotten how great it was.

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