HELP WANTED
Mother in serious need of advice regarding sleeping children in the same room. Has received advice previously (for which she is very grateful), but is interested in all possible advice from all possible parties interested in providing it. Children began sleeping in same room tonight at 7:30...it is now 9:00...and just...got...quiet...
Mother in serious need of advice regarding sleeping children in the same room. Has received advice previously (for which she is very grateful), but is interested in all possible advice from all possible parties interested in providing it. Children began sleeping in same room tonight at 7:30...it is now 9:00...and just...got...quiet...
This is how tonight went (strike that...should read "is going"). Kate fell asleep nursing. Jordan brought James in to lay him down. I was still holding Kate. James began crying that Kate was in his room (prior to this moment, he was so excited to have Kate sleeping in his room). And when I say crying...I mean he was trying to make it loud. Kate, of course, woke up. I burp her and nurse her a little more. She's done. So, I sing to her and rock her, because now she is totally wide-eyed from the recent drama. James is in his crib and standing up. Every now and then he jumps down to his crib mattress. Whether standing or kneeling or lying, he's talking...asking me questions, making observations, recounting the woes of sharing a room. I'm trying to be as quiet as I can to keep from rewarding his talking (we had told him to be quiet and go right to sleep--no talking) and to keep from completely arousing Kate into a playful mood. Occasionally I respond to questions, remind him to lay down and close his eyes (and mouth), and replace his blanket.
Eventually, I see that the effort is futile. Kate will just have to lay down wide-eyed and ready to play. So, I lay Kate down. Then I replace the blanket James has thrown to the other end of his crib, but insists must be replaced before he can sleep. I leave as Kate rolls onto her belly, pushes up with her arms to watch me walk from the room. As the door closes, she begins to cry.
James is quiet at first. Eventually, he begins to imitate her cry...he even gives her a sharp "no, no." We even hear a couple barks and some high-pitched yelps. All of this occurs intermittently over the course of an hour and a half. We think they're asleep...then one of them makes a loud noise (cry--Kate-- or chatter--James) waking or alerting the other. Eventually they get quiet only to repeat the process. It has now been 12 minutes with no sound...wait...James is knocking into his crib...ah yes....the Elmo's World theme song ("That's Elmo's World..."). And now he is giggling. Well, we can just hope it doesn't wake Kate.
Seriously, if anyone has any advice for how to motivate your toddler to just go to sleep and to be quiet, I would appreciate it. I know it may just come down to them learning to ignore the other, but if there is anything that can help in the meantime (James now has the hiccups and he apparently needs to talk to himself about it--9:20), I'd be happy to hear.
Eventually, I see that the effort is futile. Kate will just have to lay down wide-eyed and ready to play. So, I lay Kate down. Then I replace the blanket James has thrown to the other end of his crib, but insists must be replaced before he can sleep. I leave as Kate rolls onto her belly, pushes up with her arms to watch me walk from the room. As the door closes, she begins to cry.
James is quiet at first. Eventually, he begins to imitate her cry...he even gives her a sharp "no, no." We even hear a couple barks and some high-pitched yelps. All of this occurs intermittently over the course of an hour and a half. We think they're asleep...then one of them makes a loud noise (cry--Kate-- or chatter--James) waking or alerting the other. Eventually they get quiet only to repeat the process. It has now been 12 minutes with no sound...wait...James is knocking into his crib...ah yes....the Elmo's World theme song ("That's Elmo's World..."). And now he is giggling. Well, we can just hope it doesn't wake Kate.
Seriously, if anyone has any advice for how to motivate your toddler to just go to sleep and to be quiet, I would appreciate it. I know it may just come down to them learning to ignore the other, but if there is anything that can help in the meantime (James now has the hiccups and he apparently needs to talk to himself about it--9:20), I'd be happy to hear.
8 comments:
Oh man, good luck. I wish I had some excellent advice like what you always have to offer me, but I don't...but thanks for going first with all the kid stuff so I can ask you :) Good luck with it all. I'm sure it will get better, but good luck in the mean time. I can't wait until my day comes...oh wait, yes I can :)
Put Kate to sleep on your bed(or somewhere else) first and then when they are both asleep move her into her bed in James' room. SEE YOU SUNDAY!!!!
I have no advice whatsoever, but good luck! Scott and I have actually been having discussions recently about whether or not we need three rooms when we have another kid. After reading this, my answer is more ardently YES! Good luck!
P.S. Love your new header!!
Oh Natasha. I feel for you. I moved my girls into the same room a few months ago and I didn't think we would survive.
I found it worked best initially if one of the kids was already asleep when I put the other kid in. It usually happened that I'd put Brooke to bed and then nurse Caroline. By the time Caroline was finished, Brooke was asleep, so I could just lay Caroline down and all would be well. Even if Caroline fussed for a minute, Brooke wouldn't wake up.
Except for when she WOULD wake up and then it would be a nightmare. Brooke would freak out if she heard Caroline cry. That would make Caroline cry even harder and then I'd have two wailing children on my hands with no idea how to calm either.
Then I stopped nursing Caroline and she needed an earlier bedtime, so I put her to bed first and then cuddled on the couch reading bedtime books to Brooke. I made it a game to tiptoe quietly into her room so we wouldn't wake up Caroline. That worked well...except for those times Brooke just had to cough as loud as possible right as we were passing Caroline's crib, or she felt the urge to jump headfirst into her bed.
We also had to deal with waking up in the morning. The girls would wake each other up so early and I had about had it! I was ready to resign myself to a lifetime of Caroline sleeping in a pack and play in the dining room.
I think the only thing that got me through that time was remembering when Dallas and I got married. We slept horribly! It was so weird to have a bedmate who moved all the time and made noises I wasn't used to. However, after a couple of weeks we were used to each other and have been sleeping fine ever since. I knew I just needed to give my girls time to get used to each other...and finally they did.
Now I can put them in their room when they are both awake and they will fall asleep quickly. We've had episodes where someone throws up in the night and starts screaming and the other doesn't wake up. I'm afraid it may just take time. Just try to keep your sanity as you are waiting for that magical time to come when they sleep together in peace.
Good luck!
Funny! But you have had such perfectly sleeping children that I cannot feel too sorry for you.
Okay, I do feel a little sorry for you, but it's about time, is all I'm going to say.
James will get used to Kate in his room soon. Then he will not be able to sleep without her!
Ok, as frustrating as non sleeping children are, just imagining James chatting to himself cracks me up. Good luck!
I'm pretty much giggled through the whole post, hang in there girl!
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