22 Month Old Always Wakes Crying

Does he still sleep in a crib? If so, try putting his mattress on the floor and letting him sleep like a big boy, so when he wakes up he can play with his toys. Could be he just doesn't like feeling trapped. I have two boys (3 1/2 and 2) and put the second on the floor around 1 1/2 and he would wake up and just play with his toys for a while (I had a door knob thing so he couldn't open it, but used a baby monitor so I could hear him). My first son always (still) wants a big milk the minute he wakes up and that seems to put him in a good mood - but if he doesn't it then there will be a major melt down. If you decide to let him cry I'd go in there every few minutes letting him know that as soon as he decides to be a happy boy he can get up, but if he wants to cry he needs to stay in bed. Good luck, hope you get things more settled feeling before baby #3 arrives!

My oldest went through this, it seemed to be just a phase. If he is crying he needs comfort, go to him. It probably seems like the phase is lasting forever, but he'll come around.

My daughter did this for almost a year. It was the most stressful time. No one wants to wake up that way, including her. The only thing that worked for us was to pick her up and get her outside (she is my nature girl) and focus on something wonderful outside. She would settle and I would still have to hold her for a while. The worst was when she did this at mother in laws house each morning- watchful eyes makes it even more stressful!

We tried everything else, cry it out, consequences, talking with pediatrician etc. No one seemed to have the answer.

I did meet another mom with the same problems and her daughter was diagnosed with a sleep disorder that didnt allow her to get a full night sleep. They started her on Melatonin and that helped immediately. I never tried it.

Find a way to wake up a few minutes before and do some deep breathing or visualizing a happier child and remember it is a phase.

My son didn't "wake up happy" until he was 4 (ahem, unless it was at 3am...& we coined that particularly gleefull-wide-awake-smile as 'I sleep when I'm tired, I'm awake when I'm not...what's the problem?').

He ALWAYS woke up hungry, wet, or both. This was true at night, naptimes, whenever. He was HUNGRY. As a toddler, this became a problem...because he'd wake up, but be FURIOUS about it, and getting food into him was a problem because he was so angry/discombobulated he didn't want to eat or drink. Low and behold, 3 minutes after the first bite/drink he was mr. snuggly angel again. Sigh.

The problem only "fixed itself" once he got old enough to pop out of bed, run to the fridge, and grab one of his premade chocolate milk cups. Whooohooo! The neurons finally fired! Then he'd come into our room, jump on the bed, peel an eyelid back and then say "Awake now mommy?" At 7 he STILL has to get something to eat the moment he wakes up.

Anyhow...this might not be what's going on with you...but I wouldn't be surprised at all. ESPECIALLY if there's a growth spurt coming.

Personally I don't see what letting kids cry (unless it's for a few minutes after you lay them down, because they sooooo want to stay awake...and that's not-gonna-happen; or they're having a temper tantrum over "x"), does...except to teach them that they're alone and helpless. They've got a problem that they can't fix (wet, hungry, scared, cold, hot, in pain, etc)...and they're being ignored by the one person who COULD fix their problem.

my 19 mo does this sometimes- it is inconsistent tho, off and on and has happened for many months. usually i try to nip it in the bud and cuddle him and sometimes he will drift off. usually sitting/laying down and cuddling works and in a few minutes he is off and running and happy, or occasionally, blessedly, back asleep.

It sounds like maybe he just wants some company when he wakes up! Can he come to you or is he trapped in a crib and/or locked in his room? I'd suggest that you arrange things so that he can come to you and get in bed and snuggle with you. And if he wakes up hungry you could also have something ready for him to eat when he wakes up (so that you don't have to get up right away to get food for him).

Try putting a non-spill bowl of dry cereal in there where he can reach it and a sippy cup of diluted juice. Sometimes, being hungry (low blood sugar) can make them grumpy. Giving him a mini breakfast in there will not only give him something to keep him quiet and happy, but it may be just what he needs to get out of bed happy too.

Don't push your luck and leave him in too long though or he will assume that crying is the only way to get you to come to him. You have to respond to the calls you want to encourage.

you're soooo not alone! my daughter started doing this after taking naps when she was around 2. she would wake up pissed! and you couldn't do anything to soothe her. holding her didn't help but then she got even more mad if you put her down after you picked her up. i couldn't talk to her or obviously try to distract her, it would anger her more. sometimes if i just held her and did chores, she would eventually get over it but there never was a sure-fire way to get her to chill out. sometimes a tv show would work, sometimes not. thankfully she gave up her naps (isn't that weird to be saying?) so we don't have to deal with that anymore, other than an occasional nap here or there but it's a little better now that she's older.

i'm sorry i couldn't be of any help :(

I would let him cry--it sounds like a attention getting mechanism.

He is going to cry until you come in. He is old enough to wait until you are ready to come in. And he sounds mad, since he is throwing toys.

Do it now before number three comes because it is possible that he will have his nose put out joint then.

I think he sounds like he is a strong willed child and he his going to thrill you at times and drive you absolutely crazy at others. Try to find some reading material about strong willed children. It will help.

I had two and believe me, they are wonderful adults.

I have a couple of suggestions:
1. my son (2 years) fusses when he is waking up. If I go in there is terrible...crying, wining, throwing fits...if I just let him be for a few minutes, until he is ready...he comes out on his own and is happy. I wonder if you little guy can let himself out of bed and open the door to come out??? a sense of independance for them instead of feeling "trapped"...maybe...
2. we sing silly songs when the kids wake up...started when my daughter was a baby...we just made them up...we have a funny expression when someone is not quite awake...we say they need to shake off the cobwets: our little song goes: "shake shake shake the cobwebs...dunt de dunt de dunt...get out of bed"...maybe something silly like that would help him transistion to awake time...
3. my son also sometimes just wants to nuggle (snuggle) for a few minutes. If he wakes up cranky, I have him bring me his blankie and we just sit for a few minutes...when he is ready, he just jumps down off the coach and is on his way.
I really hope that you find something that works for you. I know for myself, when the kids wake up cranky (or in my case mostly, demanding) it is so frustrating! I want to scream, "Give me 5 minutes!!!" I need to shake the cobwebs too!!!

My daughter is 2 1/2 and still does this. She has always woke up grumpy.
I am interested in hearing the answers that you get.
:)

Hi M. -

There are a couple of things that could be going on here. First, some kids just wake up grumpy. I had one who always woke up sad. It usually took her 20-30 minutes to fully come out of it--especially if she didn't get a full nap. I would get her up from her nap and take her outside for a walk and that would distract her from her emotional upset. Secondly, kids often cry when they wake up because they are scared waking up alone and/or missing mommy. They are disoriented and can't comprehend where mommy is. It sounds like this is what may be going on with your son. Just go to him as soon as you hear him waking up and console him. It sounds like he needs reassurance that you're there, and the more consistent you are with the reassurance, the sooner he will begin to feel sure of your presence and he'll be secure again.

Blessings,
J. (mom of 5)