Children can experience a plethora of sleep troubles. From birth to six months old, my son could not put himself to sleep, and woke frequently throughout the night to feed. From 10 to 18 months, he fell asleep on his own, but woke several times a night crying for some unknown reason. Now, at twenty-one months, he has no trouble sleeping with out waking, but getting him to bed presents a major challenge.

Just when we thought we had it all figured out, something else comes up that leaves us scratching our heads, and desperately seeking advice. The following are a couple of reasons why your toddler might resist sleep:

* Toddlers, like everyone else, become sleepy at different times. Sometimes, they just do not get sleepy until a little later.

* If they have older siblings who get to stay up later, they will want that privilege as well.

* If the parents watch television or play music, they may feel left out and not want to miss out on any of the action.

* They could still want to eat a little more. In some cases, toddlers might want a snack to tide them over until morning or a drink of water to quench their thirst.

When trying to work with your child concerning sleep issues, please remember that you cannot force anyone else to actually go to sleep. That decision is up to the individual.

Make bedtime a good time instead of fighting over when your child will fall asleep. When your toddler becomes sleepy, he will fall asleep. So don’t worry if he is refusing your requested bedtime. Everyone wants to feel as though they have control over their own lives, and children are no exception to this. If they tend to stay up later, they will either wake up later or take a longer nap. Either way, their decision actually benefits you more, right? So don’t sweat it when they finally decide to set their own sleep schedule.

Every child has different sleep patterns, because each child is unique. Some need only nine hours while others prefer up to 18 per day. (Those are the lucky parents.) Different routines work better for different children, and you might have to try several different suggestions to find the one that best fits your family’s needs.

In my family, we get our son ready for bed and put him in his room. What he does after that, is entirely up to him. In order to transition to bedtime more easily, try the following suggestions.

* Create a bedtime routine Any routine that works for you will work for your child as well, because children thrive when they know what to expect next. Choose a routine and stick with it each night, because consistency is key.

* Sing songs Spend time together before bed by singing your child’s favorite tunes, but keep them soft and sweet.

* Keep it low key Instead of playing noisy and rough games before bed, try relaxing and reading a book instead.

*Announce bedtime Tell your child 10 or 15 minutes before bedtime that it will be time soon. This gives them the opportunity to object early. When they do, tell them that they can stay up a little later, but then it’s time for sure. This makes them feel more in control of the situation and of themselves.

*Toddler proof Make sure that their room is a safe environment for them to roam around and play. Double check this each night to make sure that they didn’t bring a dangerous item into the room while you weren’t looking.

* Shed a little light Put a night light in the room so that if he chooses to stay awake longer, he won’t fall and hurt himself. The idea is harm reduction, and we all know that toddlers rooms don’t always stay clean and clear.

* Nap time Either put them down for an early nap, or omit it altogether so that they become more sleepy at bedtime.

* Don’t give in Once you tell your child it’s bedtime, don’t let them talk you into changing the routine to stay up hours later, unless you agreed on that ahead of time.

* No bedtime Some parents allow their children to stay up late with the rest of the family. There’s nothing wrong with this, just do whatever works for you.

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About the author: Brooke Hadley currently writes freelance feature articles and has six years of professional writing experience. She currently lives in Austin with her new hubby and their son, Skylar Austin. They expect their next baby, Drew Madison, in November. Email Brooke Hadley: PersistentGerl@hotmail.com.

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