Your two-year-old won’t sleep, what to do?

Every night the same struggle: your child just doesn’t want to go to bed. You’re slowly getting completely overtired yourself and totally annoyed. MomaSquad gives you tips on how your child can go to bed without problems again.

By the age of two, children need 12 to 14 hours of sleep to be rested and content. Lack of sleep often leads to shouting, aggressive behavior, and tantrums. On some evenings you can literally watch your child struggle with sleep and try desperately to keep his eyes open. Your child has realized that they themselves have a great influence on whether and when they go to sleep. It is in a detachment phase and would like to make its own decisions and assert its own interests. During this time, it is very important that you set a specific bedtime and stick to it consistently. It is best to choose a bedtime that suits your child’s daily routine as well as that of the rest of the family.

Why can’t your two year old fall asleep?

  • If a lot has happened, an exciting event is imminent or your child is very angry or disappointed, this can lead to problems falling asleep.
  • On TV and on the PC, content is often conveyed that your child is not yet ready for. At night, your child tries to process this content – the many thoughts keep it from sleeping.
  • If your child is constantly being put to bed at different times and there is no usual routine, they will have a hard time getting regular sleep.

Your 2 year old won’t sleep, what can you do?

  • Let your child romp: It is important that your child can exercise properly during the day and exercise a lot in the fresh air. That makes you tired. No child can go to sleep with it turned on. Make sure that there is a rest period after the romp so that your child can calm down.
  • Shorten the afternoon nap: In order for your child to be able to sleep in the evening, it should not sleep too much at midday. Move your nap to midday instead of the afternoon. This gives your child enough hours to let off steam and fall into bed dead tired in the early evening.
  • Offer your child alternatives: Give your child the opportunity to make their own decisions by offering them alternatives (“Do you want to go to bed now or in 10 minutes?”). At this age, it is very important for your child to assert their own interests. The alternative gives him the feeling of having total decision-making power and makes him happy. You can also let him choose his favorite pajamas or a bedtime story.
  • Take care of rituals: think about a fixed, constant ritual together with your partner (for example: first brush your teeth, then read aloud and finally sleep). It may take some time for your child to get used to the rhythm . But if you stay consistent, it will work out soon!
  • Be consistent: Young children can often be very creative when it comes to coming up with reasons not to go to bed. (“I still have to finish the picture.”, “I can’t find my teddy bear.”). Be consistent (“You can finish the picture tomorrow.”, “We’ll look for your teddy together tomorrow.”)! A good ending is important. For example, the goodnight kiss, a saying or a sip from the water bottle.
  • Create a calm atmosphere: It is important that you teach your child to fall asleep without a CD in the background or in the room with you. Tell him you’ll be back in five minutes to see if he’s still in bed. Make sure your child knows they are safe and that you are close by.
  • Calm your child down: Try to find out why your child won’t want to go to bed or can’t sleep through the night. Talk to your child about it. Maybe they are scared or worried. Stressful thoughts can prevent them from falling asleep. Try to calm your child down and take away these fears.
  • Give your child comfort when they have nightmares: Nightmares can be the result of impressions that your child is not yet able to cope with. Make sure you try to find out what caused the bad dream and avoid these causes in the future (exciting TV movie, etc.).

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