This is a description of how we got our baby to go from Midnight bedtimes to 7pm within one week. She was 25 months old and it has made such a difference.

 

We just let baby go to sleep when she was tired, but it became stupid. Around 2 years old she started staying awake until midnight. Obviously we had no time to ourselves. So we decided to research how to get them to go to sleep early. We are still in the middle of this process so we will have to see how it pans out. Here is what we are trying...

- stop long naps during the day (an hour around lunchtime is good, 2 hours in the afternoon is bad).

- get into a routine

- perhaps give her a bath, then come down for tea.

- turn off all distractions around 7pm (TV,radio)

- dim the lights to make it clear it is going to be bedtime soon.

- have wind-down time (read a story downstairs)

- everyone say goodnight to the baby and then take her upstairs

- put on a clean nappy

- she can have a last drink but take it off her before putting her in bed.

- put her in bed with a quick lullaby

-say goodnight and leave her without looking back

- come back and check in 5 minutes

- put her back in bed. (repeat until she gets the idea)

this is where we are at - repeat repeat repeat, but it seems to be working.

Just a few days later and she is going to bed 7.30 or 8pm, staying in bed, then 5 minutes later we check and she is laying in bed with her eyes open, clutching her current favoutite toy. 5 minutes later when we check on her she is asleep. Magic. No bedtime tears either.