Im going to scream

DS1 will not let DS2 sleep.

EVERY time I put DS2 down for a sleep, DS1 starts screaming and running up and down the hall past his room, or goes in to his room and screams in there.

Its doing my head in, becuase sometimes DS2 is luck to get 40 mins sleep all day long, so the times when he seems ready to self settle, but DS1 doesnt let him make me want to cry. Well OK they do make me cry.

Til now I've had DS1 in daycare 3 days a week even though I'm on maternity leave, as its the only way DS2 gets any chance of sleeping during the day, but thats going down to 2 days a week, and probably one day soon

Its worse as its the only time I get to sped with him one-on-one and he wastes the opportunity, yet when DS2 is awake he does everything he can to draw my focus away from him.

I cant do anything during the day at all most days if they are both home, so then I get DH coming home in a crappy mood because "youve done nothing all day" or "all i do is clean up after you"

oh my i would be telling DH to go and jump.... and take a walk if said that to me!

Daycare is a great idea 3 days a week for you and your child.... why are you going to stop this?

Get tough with your older son and growl and say NO its your brothers sleep time .... and on weekends your DH should step up and HELP it takes two to tango to concieve these children and it takes TWO to raise them.... well thats the presumption many of us have hey!

Sorry if this sounds like a *****y reply it isnt meant to be but we have a sick 'flu' 13 month yr old and do you think he will sleep NO NO NO and he has got nurofen Painstop and dimetapp on board throughout the day so im OVER it myself!

Ahhh yes, I remember those times..... DS has gotten a LOT better because.. well.. I bribe him.. PMSL...

Miss M usually naps now at around 10.30ish - so I tell him to sit on the couch and wait for me to put her down - and then we'll have morning tea. If I have his fav tv show on at the time, he will actually sit there and wait (most of the time) for me to get her off to sleep. If he does come down, I take him back up to the lounge room, and remind him again of morning tea if he's a good boy and sits and waits for mummy.

I didn't think it would actually work - but it is!!! Then when she's asleep, I make a big fuss about him actually being a good boy and thank him profusely ;) He feels special, and then we have morning tea together (cos at that time, I'm dying for a cuppa!!)

So I don't know if bribery is a GOOD thing or not - but it works here.

OOh I am dealing with that at the moment. DD1 looks at dd2 who is sleeping and screams at her....wake up baby becca! Or she will get her toys and wack her or scream or just make huge noises...then she smiles at me. I have been repeating to her that dd2 needs a sleep and....if you dont let her sleep then we are not going to be able to play together. It kind of works. My poor dd2 is 8 months old and has been living on as little as 1 hour nap during the day.

Fortunately my dh is fantastic. Tell your dh....to go jump!!!!

Oh it would DO MY HEAD IN. DD wasn't a bad sleeper (woooo), but bloody DS would stomp and jump really hard on the floor just as her eyes were closing. I can't even remember what I did about it - cept cry.

XOXOXOXO

I hate, hate, hate it too - and i can understand why you want to scream. My girls (especially my 1 yr old) loves to scream "DORA" when i try to put H down for a sleep. I feel like all i do all day is say 'SHHHHhhhhhhh'. Anyway, i try and get my girls outside, give them morning tea/afternoon tea - FOOD of any sort really. I just find its in the first 15 mins that i need them to be really super quiet...after that time (whilst not screaming or jumping around the house) i find they can talk normally , and H will stay asleep.
Im not ashamed to say i use the tv alot - i have too. My youngest (the screamer) loves Dora, so will put that on whilst H is asleep...although these days, its not that often, but thats another thread....;)

Good luck - i totally know where your coming from...

What i do with my lot is simular to Mel..

(and hey, its not bribing, its teaching them patience.. so I tell myself!!!:p)

Set up something fun, just before his nap time. Morning tea for 2, playdough, paint etc.... tell DS1 its STRICTLY for mummy and DS1 when DS2 is asleep. If he wakes bubba up, we cant have it.

But you have to stick to it. If he wakes up bubba deliberatly, get rid of it, and explain why.
When he is nice and quiet, he will learn he and mummy get some fun stuff together!!!

The key is be consistant. If you give in and let him have it regardles he'll learn he gets it either way, so no need to behave.......... but if only gets for being good and quiet, its a nice reward!

Be warned though, tantrums could follow when he realises the reward disappears when he plays up!!!!

Just one suggestion babe, good luck!!!

:hug: Ray. I've been thinking of you all afternoon.

yes, I have been there too... in the first few months, DD would make a huge noise when she saw me disappear with DS to put him down to sleep, now we have kind of got into a routine, DS usually goes back to sleep at 9.30 am, which is when playschool starts, so i set DD up in the lounge to watch playschool and take DS off for a nap....usually the setting up of DD with an activity and explaining that DS needs to sleep works....but it didn't happen overnight. I used to get to so frustrated.....in the car when DS is asleep, DD will yell at the top of her voice, ONE, TWO , THREE WAKE UP FINNY - hmmmmmmmm - well she thinks its funny....