I want my Mommy!

[judecorp]

You know, I have fun when I'm babysitting, all the way up until it's time for bed. Then it is just SO exhausting.

E will just not go to sleep! She follows the whole bedtime routine perfectly - potty, pajamas, toothbrushing, two books... then all hell breaks loose. She just Will. Not. Sleep. She lays there, eyes wide, telling me she misses Mommy 873278723957 times. (And I know she misses Mommy, and I feel bad that she misses Mommy, but really, what can I do about it?)

I've tried almost everything... from cuddling and trying to make her feel better to explaining that Mommy will be home soon to ignoring her after the first couple of times to saying, "Shhh, time for sleep, no more talking" a million times to laying in bed next to her and reading a book. Sometimes she falls asleep eventually (bedtime is at 8 and the moms come home between 10 and 10:30 usually) and sometimes she is still awake when they get home.

It's just so exhausting. In fact, I'm now dreading going over there because I don't want another 2 hours of "I want my Mommy" when there isn't a dang thing I can do to help. It's not like I can mysteriously make Mommy come home, you know? (I tell them this is going on, that's really the best I can do.) It becomes so tedious and last week I really felt myself becoming irritated.

I need to think of another strategy, and quick, because I'm not up for that tonight.

Comments

[laurajones.livejournal.com]

I am the toddler whisperer and also a seasoned "I Want My Mommy" vet. Here is my trick which very rarely fails:

"The Eyebrow Trick" (a Laura Jones original) - While the child is lying in bed in very dim light if any, use your thumb and middle or forefinger to stroke both eyebrows very lightly from the middles out to the tips. Just keep doing it very slowly and lightly and rhythmically. While you're doing it, answer maybe every fourth question or concern of the child. For every four "I want my mommy"s, you say one "I know, honey" or whatever, very quietly. It takes some patience, but it has always been a miracle worker for me.

If that doesn't work, you can always try reverse/tricky psychology. Often if I just say to a screaming kid, "Do you just want to sit and cry for a while?" they quit within 10 seconds. Maybe you could ask her if she wants to just lie in bed and miss mommy for a while. I know we all know this, but it never hurts to say it: sometimes we all just want to be validated.

Hope at least some of that helps!!

love,
Your Labortine

[mayna.livejournal.com]

Wow, I might have to try the reverse psychology on my daughter. I don't feel bad letting her CIO (she will be 3 in one month) but it really does get old that she pulls the same thing every night. Letting her read in bed with the light on worked for awhile, but now she is OK if we're in there paying attention to her, but throwing a fit when we leave the room.

With my son I do the "Supernanny" routine. He is 13 mos old, has been in a toddler bed for 2-3 weeks now and was on a mattress on the floor before that, but when he gets out of bed and cries at the door, i go in and put him back in bed, and 99 times out of 100 he just does that once and immediately stops crying and closes his eyes when I put him back in bed. (If I stay in the room his cries will escalate to screaming and throwing himself around and last an hour or longer). Of course Maylie used to go to bed great too, it's just the past 6 months or so she's gotten unbearable.

[judecorp.livejournal.com]

That's awesome that Grego can stay in the toddler bed. :)

[judecorp.livejournal.com]

I will try your "Toddler Whisperer" tricks!

xoxo