Toddler Sleep Problems - How to Handle Them

According to research, toddler sleep problems are unfortunately a pretty common occurrence until your child reaches the age of 3. I remember naively thinking that once my daughter had passed the newborn stage, my husband and I were well on our way to getting a good night's sleep again - boy, was I wrong! A few days past her second birthday saw a return to unsettled nights plus temper tantrums at bedtime. We were somewhat confused - not to mention frustrated! - as for the previous 15 months or so she had been going down with the minimum of fuss and sleeping right through the night. Some investigation turned up a number of reasons why toddlers often start experiencing sleep problems, even after a spell of being settled and content at night. Separation Anxiety It's hard to believe sometimes, but that independent feisty little toddler who is adamant about doing things for themselves through the day, might actually want Mum and Dad at bedtime! Many toddlers experience a feeling of fear when separated from their parents at bedtime, and this in turn can lead to a reluctance to go off to bed in the first place, or lots of angst and tears when placed there. Nightmares and Night Terrors Another common cause of toddler sleep problems are nightmares. From the age of about 2 onwards, your child begins to develop a very vivid imagination and sometimes this can result in dreams which are frightening for them. Similarly, night terrors can also start to occur, usually between the ages of 3 and 5, and these can have a major impact on your child's attitude about going to bed. Frustration Of course, there is always the chance that your toddler's reluctance to go to bed is nothing more than frustration at having their fun curbed for the day! Toddler sleep problems frequently occur when your child decides that another hour of playtime is much more agreeable than being tucked up for the night, and there might be a battle of wills involved in getting them to go off to sleep. Over-Tiredness Believe it or not, actually being very tired can be a cause of toddler sleep problems. In the past I had been tempted to skip my daughter's daytime nap in the mistaken belief that she'd be more likely to go to bed easily if she was really tired. As with so many things, I was wrong again! In actual fact, over-tiredness can prevent your child from being able to drop off and can cause them to get wound up to the point of hysteria. Instead, setting aside time for them each day to have a little snooze is more beneficial in helping them get a good night's rest.