Trouble Getting My Son to Sleep

Sometimes children at this age need a transition time. Time between the "up" of playing and the "down" of sleep. What I used to do was about 20 minutes or so before bed time, I would snuggle with him on the couch. Turn on something on PBS etc or a nonviolent show on tv( the white noise he needs) and he would cuddle up on my lap or beside me with a blankie and this would slow him down enough to relax and get ready for sleep. Sometimes he would actually just fall asleep on the couch. It eliminated the stress at bedtime for BOTH of us.
This will work too, as your daughter gets older. You can snuggle with both of them on the couch, one on each side of you. Gives you a little down time to catch your breath. If the tv is not an option, you can read them a book. This creates a love for reading at the same time.

By the way..he is fighting it because he is getting older and thinks he is mising something. This will happen many more times as he grows older. Next will come the "I need a drink of water, I need to go potty" phase LOLOL Just be sure when that stage comes..he gets his drink of water when he brushes his teeth and that he goes potty before putting him down. The more he sees you give in to those requests, the more he will use them LOLOL This is the hard stage because as a mother you WILL give in sometimes because you believe he is thirsty and you dont want him to wet the bed etc. Just hang in there, they do grow out of all of it. And before you know it they are adults

A little about me:
Mom to 9 kids ranging in age from 2-22

strange but true. My Middle daughter has a very stange reaction to tylonal. It actually will not let her go to sleep. I asked my mother in law and she said that my husband was the same way. You may want to switch to ibroprofin and see how that works. Just a thought.

Ok....How does your daughter sleep? My thought alothough I do not have a 20 month old is that he is going to bed too early....I think 7pm is too early for an almost 2 yr old....

Okay, now that I know a little more....are his molars coming in? How long has it been since you starting re-doing his room?
Also, instead of putting him to bed after bath, how about a lil mommy and son time....ALONE...Next to his crib...sing some songs, quietly...Massage his hands and feet....20 min is all this will take...Do all of that with the door shut, and the lights off....,, except a night light...You can hum....anything soft....Give him kisses, and walk out of the room, and dont go back in.....! My daughter will try and scream her lil head off till i go in, and I dont"Unless she is sick, or sounds like she is going to stop breathing", but Just dont give in to the control that he wants....

I used to have a box of childrens tapes and let me son pick what tape he wanted to listen to that night. It helped in him making the choice on bedtime so he wasnt so upset about going to bed. I suggest also maybe shortening the nap time or as another member said, not so early to bed. Quiet time is always good with a book or a song before bed. It calms the child, gives them happy thoughts, and settles them. Also try and make sure he isnt "missing" anything..a visitor, a fav program etc...