HOW do you get your kids to go to sleep in the room at night?

[Dana_Buckley]

We just returned from 1 night in Santa Monica & it took 1 1/2 hours after lights & TV off, to get our 2 yr old DS to go to sleep!
Any tips out there? He & I shared a bed, DH had the other. He just kept jumping on the bed, then rolling over, then rolling over top of me etc... HELP!!

 

[Kate-n-sam]

In my experience, beginning when my DD was 2.5 at WDW, she was begging for sleep at bedtime and passed out during her nightly story. Alo the on-site TV's have Disney bedtime stories, no picture just a story read by a character.

FYI, my kids as a general rule are non-sleepers and to our amazment we've never had a problem getting them to sleep at Disney, half the time we're trying to wake them up because they just pass out in the stroller, LOL

Good Luck!

 

[mforbach]

We had trouble getting our DD(5 years old) and DN(4 years old) to go to sleep. They were jumping on the bed and laughing. The next morning bright and early my DH and I got on their bed and started jumping and laughing -- everything they had done the night before. My DD is used to us but our poor DN thought we were crazy. The next night when the action was just getting started we reminded them about what had happened that morning and they stopped right away. Sorry this won't help much for a 2 year old. We did notice that as the week went on it was easier for them to go to sleep.

 

[winniedapooh]

Whenever we go on vacation whether it be to the World or Maine my 5 cherubs usually tarnish their halos the first night, excitement. We, DH and myself, are exhausted! We just try to roll with it and understand they are kids and excited! By 2nd night-----so exhausted from being on the go they go to sleep and reshine those halos, lol! Seriously, as the week goes on it gets better, acclimation and exhaustion.

Faith, trust, and pixie dust to you!

 

[cgcw]

We made to a trip to Hilton Head with our then DS1 who slept way too much in the van. When we wanted to stop/needed to sleep, he just wanted to play and play. It was torture!! Eventually he settled down but it was many hours after I wanted him to.

Fortunately, when we are at WDW, our kids have been so tired it hasn't been a problem (hope I didn't just jinx myself!).

 

[crisi]

One of the things that works well for us is to explain to our kids that "they can sleep with Mommy as long as they are still and quiet."

If my kids start moving around or getting loud, I move over to the bed my husband is in. They cry. I ask if they can be still, they promise, I move back. It happens again. Usually I move about four times the first night before they realize I'm serious and settle down. This worked with my son before he was two. My daughter has a flatter learning curve and is convinced that screaming enough will change reality (a twenty minute tantrum because it isn't day anymore), she was about two and a half before she really caught on.

The second night they conk out exhausted.

Good luck.

 

[susy]

I would turn out the lights, get in bed and turn on the tv (low). Toon Disney is on very late and if they are wacthing, they may get interested in it and then just fall alseep . It works with my little one.

 

[Jordan's MOM]

I have had this problem other places but never WDW. DS is so tired out at the end of the day I have to try and keep him awake long enough to eat and get a bath. A few tips that might work if you find this to be a problem:

1. Try to stick close to your bed time from home. Keeping a child up super late can make them too tired to sleep.

2. Don't make the naps too late or too long. You might be tempted to keep going till 4 or 5 and then break for a nap. That as well as allowing a extra long nap can make bed time a night mare.

3. Make sure a toddler get some time out of the stroller to get some exercise. Look for areas like Tom Sawyer Island for room to run.

4.Take his own pillow, stuffed toy ect. as well as some good bed time books. Try to use your bedtime routine from home.

5>Don't sweat it. You are on vacation. Let him sleep with you if it helps and sleep late the next day if you have to.

Have a blast.

Jordan's mom

 

[tricia]

My son was just so used to falling asleep on his own that he gets a little excited when there are others in the room. I usually go thru the usual bedtime routine then sit out on the balcony for twenty minutes or so while he falls asleep.

 

[Barb D]

I sing my 2.5yo DD to sleep sometimes at home, and it seems to help when we're away from home, too. It's comfortable and familiar to her. I usually start with the hymn "Be Thou My Vision," and it's cute to hear her try to sing it herself. Last night she sang, "Be Thou My Vision oh Lord da da heart, naught be ah da da da... Go to sleep, Mommy! It's my sleepy song!"


You could also try a lullaby tape at home, and bring the same tape with you when you travel.

AND, be sure to truly exhaust them before bedtime!

 

[Planogirl]

When we stayed on site we used to turn on the channel that shows the attractions and hotels. While it used to really excite DS at first, it was so repetitive that he would doze off finally and it worked even better as the week went on. I liked the droning sound in the background too since it helped muffle any noise from other rooms.

The Weather Channel is good for this too and I like waking up to this channel in the morning.

 

[POOH&PIGLET]

Originally posted by Jordan's MOM
I have had this problem other places but never WDW.

Same for us!

Our older DD would usually fall asleep on the bus ride back to our resort and go right to bed once we arrived at our room.

I'm praying that 1 1/2 years later she (and her little sister) do the same.

 

[tjmw2727]

As with others while we have had problems on other vacations never (knock wood) at WDW. Most times they were so tired it was a breeze.

With a 2yo I would get the free porta crib they offer just as a back up. We told ours when they were 1-3 ish "you can sleep in the "big bed" as long as you are trying to settle down. If they get crazy I put them in the crib - sometimes they ended up staying in the crip, other times it was enough to settle them down and try the bed again. The porta crib was also helpful during the day as a safe place to play while the adults were showering etc.

My youngest loved to fall asleep in the stroller so we would get her all ready for bed, put her in the stroller laying down and take her for a leisurly walk around the resort. This was also a nice time for me or dh to have a minute for ourselves (sort of). Lucky for us she had no problem moving from the stroller to a bed.

We also had success leaving the TV on, going to the balcony for a while if we had one. One trip we used story tapes from home, we began listening to them before we left at bedtime so they were familiar. Put on a story tape and head to the balcony for a while - this was while they would still sleep in the crib of course.

Have fun.
TJ

 

[juliesue]

I have to kids that have been diagnosed as hyperactive - so I understand your concern! LOL

We just split them up and had one sleep with each one of us. We would hug them to help them stay still.

But the best thing for our DD was to turn on the TV. She would quiet down and once she was still - she would be asleep in no time. (She would never fall asleep on the bus unfortunately).

Now my DS, he used to always fall asleep on the bus. Then he would wake up on the walk to the room and be bouncing around. The hugging thing still worked, but turning on the TV was an invitation to stay up all night. He would NOT fall asleep as long as there was something to look at.

So, we would turn on the TV to quiet them down and when DD was asleep, we turned off the TV and DS would fall asleep too.

My best advice is stick to your regular bedtime schedule as much as possible when they are little. This may curb some of your nighttime activities, but you will need to decide which is more important. Also, if you have chance to take naps or at least res away from the parks during the day (which we still try to do with an 8 and 5 yr old), it makes night easier.

 

[CRCrazy]

My 5 year old is infamous for her inability to get to sleep!
We turned all the lights off, then put on the bedtime stories channel - no pictures, just a narrator reading one of the Disney stories - we've found this works well at home as well. After reading, snuggling and a kiss goodnight, she gets to choose one book on tape (No Book!), and listen to it as she settles in!

If the light was on, no way she could settle in! We brought our 13 and 14 y/o daughters as well, so we settled them all in, and my husband and I walked the few steps to the food court to fill our mugs, by the time we got back five minutes later, SNOOZEVILLE!

If you don't have older siblings who are old enough to be responsible for that time, this wouldn't work for you.

 

[MinnieGi]

DD has a terrible time getting to sleep here at home. She hates to nap and go to bed. Always has. DD is 2. At WDW she fell fast asleep every night! I hope the same for yours!

Gi

 

[ttm999]

What I do is lay down with my child and pretend I'm asleep. I pay no attention to them and usually they will get bored of acting silly and will lay down too and go to sleep. Sometimes my pretending turns into me really being asleep too! But I don't normally sleep with him. Once he is out - then I am off to my bed.


Good luck!