At what age can you start a reward/sticker chart?

[LoveBWVVBR]

DD is turning 2 this week. We really only have 1 major issue...sleep. She's been a terrible sleeper since birth. Granted, she's had her fair share of medical issues (just rediagnosed w/reflux recently, had tubes placed and adenoids removed, etc.). Still, though, the medical issues are resolved and she has never once slept through the night. I'd like to start some sort of rewards chart, but my gut feeling is that she is too young to understand it. She is very tough to put to bed, and she wakes up anywhere from 45 minutes to 2 hours later refusing to go back to sleep w/o coming into my bed. I haven't gotten decent sleep since before I was pregnant, so I'm ready to do something.

By the way, her sleep is MUCH better than it was. At least now she goes to bed in her own bed, if only for an hour or 2. We worked HARD at cry it out to get this far, but we never accomplished sleeping through the night.

DD is very smart and understands a lot. She is doing well with potty training, listens pretty well (as well as any other 2 year-old listens ), etc. It's just the sleep issue that has me crazy! Is a sticker chart above the comprehension level of a 2 year-old?

 

[Diamondintheruff]

Many children do not sleep on their own in their own rooms that are much older than yours. Is it right? Who knows. It is not my place to judge. You are the Mom and you get to decide what works for your family. You are not alone with this problem. Start talking to other parents and you will find others with the same issues. Try starting a thread about "how to get a two year to sleep by themselves" and I bet you will receive tons of advice.

Sticker charts work for some things with some kids. You've already mentioned that you don't think it will work in this instance. Your gut is probably correct.

Good luck with whatever you decide and I wish you a good night's sleep

 

[MSSANDRA]

While I have seen reward charts work for two year olds, i agree that for sleep problems, they just do not often work well. This is a much more sensitve issue and being able to process the idea of a "sticker" in the middle of the night just does not work. SOmetimes it can work to get the in thier own beds BUT sounds like the issues have changed.

Please do not think this sounds harsh but using the "crying it out" plan to get them in thier own bed OFTEN creates waking up more at night problems, SO...exchanging one problem for another. Sorry. We went through this and decided to just give in and DS slept with us. We all got more sleep.

 

[LoveBWVVBR]

While I have seen reward charts work for two year olds, i agree that for sleep problems, they just do not often work well. This is a much more sensitve issue and being able to process the idea of a "sticker" in the middle of the night just does not work. SOmetimes it can work to get the in thier own beds BUT sounds like the issues have changed.

Please do not think this sounds harsh but using the "crying it out" plan to get them in thier own bed OFTEN creates waking up more at night problems, SO...exchanging one problem for another. Sorry. We went through this and decided to just give in and DS slept with us. We all got more sleep.

Cry It Out didn't really cause DD more nightwakings. It actually got her to at least go to sleep in her own room in a crib. It allowed me to nightwean her, but that only lasted a month. DD coslept with us as a baby because she refused to sleep anywhere else. She still nurses multiple times at night, and it's driving me crazy. She eats well during the day too, so it's not like she's starving. The gentle methods of nightweanding have not worked. CIO was the only thing that worked, and we only did it as a last resort.

I'm sure that many kids do come into the parents' bed at night. I don't actually have a huge issue with this. I DO have a huge issue w/DD fighting bedtime for hours some nights, and then waking up 45 minutes later to come into our bed. The biggest problem is that DD is perpetually exhausted. It's 10 in the morning, and she's asleep right now. She was crying "night-night" starting at like 9:30AM. She isn't getting enough sleep at night, and I need to help her change this somehow.

 

[SmallWorld71]

I agree that the sticker charts are not effective at all for this kind of issue.

Both my boys were (and are) such good sleepers that I thought it was my excellent parenting skilles. Then, along came our daughter. We had awful times getting her to sleep at all and she spent most nights in our bed. Finally, we couldn't stand it anymore and once her bedtime routine was complete and she was in bed and then got out, we would put her right back in without even speaking to her. This happened about 20 times the 1st night and she was so upset that we wouldn't even talk to her. But, after 3 nights of tears and torture, she finally went to bed without a fight. She has been going to sleep O.K. ever since, but still gets up very early. I should have known to expect this when they wouldn't let her sleep in the hospital nursery because she was bothering the other babies. Good luck!

 

[Princess Roo]

I don't think my 2yo would be motivated by a sticker chart (especially in the middle of the night, like a PP mentioned). But what about a special treat that she can use right away? A favorite TV show or a snack in the morning? My son will do just about anything for a Nutrigrain bar - LOL!