Your great sleeper, who you raved to all of your friends about, is now struggling with bedtime. They’ve been sleeping through the night for many months now… they made it past their 2nd birthday and now, they’re not!

You aren’t quite sure why… you seem to have kept things the same, but bedtime is a battle and your little one is now struggling to put themselves to sleep, they’re screaming the house down, and the great sleeper… seems to have disappeared.

Parents, what I want you to first repeat to yourself is, “this does not mean it’s time to drop the nap.” Dropping the nap may seem like the quickest fix, but quite honestly it would just create even more of a bedtime battle.

So, if dropping the nap is not the key point… then, what is? Below you will read three key tips to ending the 2-year regression!

Grab a pen, a notebook and something tasty to drink!

Bedtime Routine:

Let me ask what bedtime routine looks like? Do we offer a bottle, sippy cup or snack during bedtime routine? Is your little one asking for milk or food during their bedtime routine?

Do we offer, time for play, or what we call it, the last-minute wiggles out before bedtime? This may seem strange. What Brooke? You want my kid to get hyper before bedtime? I want them to play, feel busy and exert some energy, but not HYPER.

So, if you haven’t guessed it…. The bedtime routine needs to consist of “Playtime” and we need to ensure that bedtime routine does not consist, “FOOD or MILK.”

What does playtime look like?

Dance party
Workouts (my kids love this)
Just time to play with their toys.

What about meals, snacks and milk at bedtime?

Milk should be offered with dinner.
Dinner should be offered 1.5-2 hours before bedtime.
Snacks should be offered before bedtime routine if dinner was served 2 hours or more!

Stretching Wake Windows:

I repeat again, do not drop the nap… yet! Let’s stretch those wake windows just a tad. If they’re napping two hours let’s cut it by 15 mins. If they seem to be taking longer to fall asleep at nap, let’s push that 10 mins.

Getting outside before nap and bedtime is one of the easiest ways to stretch those wake windows.
Getting outside also, before bedtime, allows the natural melatonin to kick in!

Need help stretching wake-windows? I have a podcast just for you called, “Introducing New Wake-Widows With 3 Techniques.” You can subscribe to Apple Podcast or Spotify, to stay up-to-date!

Toddler Clock/Light System:

Toddlers love to feel in control. They love to have a sense of routine, as well.

Let’s give them some control and let them pick out their new toddler clock and light system. There are a few to pick from. Our family uses the Hatch System with both of our girls.

Some easy steps to take into count with letting them feel in control is give them choices. When we introduce the clock, we want to be sure that the lights that we are using are appropriate for their brains and sleep cues.

Time for Sleep: Red, Orange or Blue
Time to Wake: Green/ Purple
Okay to wake, but stay in bed or the Last Call Warning: Yellow/White

When allowing them to choose to ask them, “so between red or orange, which do you prefer to stay on all night?” Use the same technique for Time to Wake and also, Last Call.

Introducing this Toddler Clock/Light System can take a few days for them to understand. IT is okay, if they do not get it right away. Talk about it and have fun together.

If you find your little one, around the 2-year age, hitting the regression then, implement these three tips and follow them for 3-4 days before giving up. Also, DO NOT GIVE THE NAP UP THIS EARLY!

If your two year old has never been a great sleeper, lets chat!

I would love to book a FREE CALL with you to learn more about your situation.

Remember, sleep deprivation does not have to be a part of your story.