Sleep training at 2.5 - long

My wonderful sleepers have turned into 2 little nightmares. I must admit, I've let it go on for too long as to get them back to sleep usually only takes a glass of water or a kleenex (they like holding kleenexes) but now they are waking up regularly at 4:30 or 5:00 which I cannot handle.

I've got a two-fold plan. One thing is that I've ordered the Teach me Time clock - the one that glows orange and then turns green when it is "day time" so they know when they wake up at night it is indeed still night. I don't know how that works but people tell me it does??? But they also have to go back to sleeping through the night. Part of this is possibly going on a holiday this summer and being with my parents and not wanting them to get woken up and part of it is just...c'mon already! It is not unusual for me to be up 3-4 times between the two of them. They are old enough that I'm now worried that this is just going to become a habit that will never go away (my sister's girl still doesn't sleep through the night and she's 7).

When I did CIO for night wakings before they were much smaller and I just did it (I shudder to remember) but now they are older. I'm worried that they are actually going to think that I'm not in the house or that they are really alone. I'm also worried (which is why this has gone on as long as it has - it was after a bout of illness) that somebody will be sick and I won't know it. And, no, I can't tell the difference between their different cries. My guys have 2 moods - happy as clams and totally freaked out. They don't have very different cries as it seems that some children do. They also know that the cry of "poo poo diaper" will bring me as I don't want them in a soiled diaper (and they do poop at night unlike some other kids - sigh) and they will cry poo poo wolf often. They will also cry out that they are hurt to get me (usually Ezra will bite his own hand and then cry for me to come because he is hurt - double sigh).

So, what do you tell them when they are sleep training this old and can understand things but aren't that sophisticated. So they know you will come if something is really wrong (and I pray I will know the difference if they do indeed sleep through except for those occasions) but not if they just want your presence for 2 minutes (its not like I even help them go to sleep - I give them what they want and throw them back into bed).

Also, if anybody has one of those clocks I mentioned or has done any other teaching to introduce tangible evidence of "wake up time", how did you do it? Did you work on teaching it a while before you implemented it or did you just explain it to them and that's that.

Thanks in advance for your advice.

 

No advice. Just HUGE :hug:!! My girls have always been terrible sleepers. I have heard good things about the clock. Hopefully that will do the trick.

 

We did CIO once at 14 months and, whilst it really worked fast, I couldn't bear to do it again. So when I finally got tired of my kids' crappy sleeping I tried something else. Actually I think I was night weaning them (we nursed until nearly 3) at the time. They were probably a bit younger than your guys. I made them 'books' about the new rules. They were kind of based on the idea of social stories which can be used very effectively with older kids with autism.

I took several photos of their night time routines as well as ones of all of us asleep and some day time fun ones too. I then made up two books (one each) illustrated with photos of each of them and a story about what is going to happen: ie "Hi, My name is Maia (pic). When I was little I shared a bed with my sister (pic). But now I'm a big girl I sleep in my own bed (pic) with my teddy and my cat (pic)." Then I described / showed pictures of their night time routine. And then, the important bit, I described what was going to happen during the night: "When I wake in the night I stay in my own bed (pic). If I'm scared or I have pooped I can call Mom, but otherwise I can: close my eyes (pic), think of all the lovely things I want to do tomorrow (pic) etc etc ... When the light goes on in the room, then it is morning time (we didn't have a special clock and so I put a nightlight on a timer for 6 am) and I can, if I want, call for mum, or play with my sister, or read my books etc".

I made the books in powerpoint as I can't do scrapbooking. But it would work with handwritten words and glued on photos. I slid each page into one of those presentation files (so then I could change them later should I need to). The girls were ecstatic to have their own 'book' written just for them. We read it several times during the course of a week or two - with me explaining the new 'rules' to them, and clarifying their understanding. It certainly made a difference, but I guess it could have been by chance.

If you'd like more details, feel free to PM me.

 

Good luck with the clock. Mine have generally been good sleepers but are trying many of these same tactics lately, and it's really hard on me. We're going through all kinds of family upheaval, so that's why they are insecure :cry: but still... I don't want this to become a lifelong problem. I remember having sleep issues when I was a kid, and I really wish my parents had taught me to self-soothe better in the sleep department then (I sleep like a rock now!).