<p>Until we finished weaning about a month ago, my 2 yo son fell asleep by nursing around 8pm. Now, however, it's more like 9:30-10:00pm. We keep the same exact bedtime ritual, lights out at 7:45, hoping against hope for sleep by 8pm .... but no luck. Crying, sometimes sobbing, trying to climb off the bed, asking for more food, more milk, potty, more stories, he talks to himself or to his bears, he sings, etc. We don't talk with him, just sing songs, soothing words, one rule: no crawling off the bed. Finally he falls asleep by 9:30 or after, and by that time my husband or I are burnt burnt burnt. He sleeps till 8-8:30am.</p>
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<p>We are desperate for evening time alone or together, and we need him to be up by 7-7:30am so we can get moving with our morning off-to-work schedules (I work 3 pt days/week).</p>
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<p>We tried resetting his clock. Two days, no naps, and he fell sound asleep by 7:45. He slept 12 hours solid and we had to wake him up at 7:30am. The third day, nap 12:30-1:45 (at nursery school, can't change the nap schedule), same bedtime routine ....... back to the aforementioned 1 1/2 hours of not-sleeping-activities and finally asleep by 9:45pm. Tonight, it was 9:30pm.</p>
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<p>We tried earlier bedtime routines / lights off. This just prolongued the crying / playing / talking time, and he still didn't fall asleep till after 9:30pm. He *has* to nap even on days he's not at nursery school, else he's soooo tired by 3-4pm and just melts down for the rest of the evening. We can't skip his nap, and when he's at nursery school we can't make it earlier since that's their slotted time.</p>
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<p>Any more ideas??? We are soooo confused! We definitely want him to sleep by 8:30 at the VERY latest. Desperate for help. (Please tell me it's possible!) Thank you!!!!</p>
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<p>We are desperate for evening time alone or together, and we need him to be up by 7-7:30am so we can get moving with our morning off-to-work schedules (I work 3 pt days/week).</p>
<p> </p>
<p>We tried resetting his clock. Two days, no naps, and he fell sound asleep by 7:45. He slept 12 hours solid and we had to wake him up at 7:30am. The third day, nap 12:30-1:45 (at nursery school, can't change the nap schedule), same bedtime routine ....... back to the aforementioned 1 1/2 hours of not-sleeping-activities and finally asleep by 9:45pm. Tonight, it was 9:30pm.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>We tried earlier bedtime routines / lights off. This just prolongued the crying / playing / talking time, and he still didn't fall asleep till after 9:30pm. He *has* to nap even on days he's not at nursery school, else he's soooo tired by 3-4pm and just melts down for the rest of the evening. We can't skip his nap, and when he's at nursery school we can't make it earlier since that's their slotted time.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Any more ideas??? We are soooo confused! We definitely want him to sleep by 8:30 at the VERY latest. Desperate for help. (Please tell me it's possible!) Thank you!!!!</p>
<p> </p>