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I'm exhausted, HELP!

post #1 of 15
12/9/05 at 1:27pm
Thread Starter 
I need some advice, please!
PJ and Emily didn't go to sleep until 2am this morning! This is not a one time thing, it's all the dang time! Most nights they go to bed about midnight...I know this is not normal. I am so jealous of all of you who's kids are in bed and sleeping by 9pm, and I want to know how you do it.
We have tried everything under the sun to get them to go to bed, but nothing works. I woke them up at 7am, hoping that since they only got 5 hours of sleep that they would take an early nap and go to bed at a decent time tonight.
THat's another problemt hat we have, they don't take a nap until about 4pm! No matter what I try they don't want to nap earlier and I can't get them to stay awake. I have tried not letting them take a nap, but I just can't keep them awake. Yesterday I tried to keep Emily awake by standing her up when she started to fall asleep, but the poor child just went limp in my arms. That quick she was asleep and I could wake her up.
Another problem is that neither one of them will go to sleep without the other. If one is awake, she will wake up her sister. We have tried keeping them apart for naps, but they just scream and cry and the other will wake up because she hears her sister, and then that one will start crying, until I let them be together.
That's ANOTHER problem, common in Twins, but still a problem. They NEVER want to be apart! It's sweet, but what's going to happen when they have to go to school and they have to be in seperate classes? They seperate Twins as early as Kindergarden!
Please, if you have some advice, I'm all ears!
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post #2 of 15
12/9/05 at 2:03pm
Honestly, we watched supernanny and did what she suggested at bed time, with a little help and support from our marriage counselor. I wish I knew what to tell you.
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post #3 of 15
12/9/05 at 2:21pm
Oh Heather... We have the same problem when one of the boys is awake, he wakes the other and my boys are 5! I was going to suggest you cut the nap, but they just aren't staying awake.... Hmmm, I would stick with waking them early, early nap, then 8 pm bedtime. It will be hard at first, they'll be grouchy. They need it to become routine, kwim? I hope someone posts a better idea for you.
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post #4 of 15
12/9/05 at 2:36pm
If it makes you feel any better, my dd is the same way. Once I finally get her on a sleep schedule, it only lasts about a week, and then she's back to her same ole same ole.
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post #5 of 15
12/9/05 at 2:46pm
Thread Starter 
Well, it's 11:30, all I can do now is pray for them to take a nap soon. Please, oh please, oh please, let them take a nap!
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post #6 of 15
12/9/05 at 2:56pm
I agree with Dana. Wake them up early in the morning and then don't let them take but a two hr nap. Gonna be a crab fest at your house for a couple of days but it won't take long. We also have had to do the tough love Nanny style bedtimes but it really pays off! Good luck honey!
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post #7 of 15
12/9/05 at 3:06pm
Thread Starter 
I've never watched Supernanny, so please tell me what to do. I am at the end of my rope because I am so tired, I'm willing to try almost anything!
Now, keep in mind that Gary is a huge softie and can't stand to hear his 'Pumpkins" cry. I may have to do this all on my own.
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post #8 of 15
12/9/05 at 3:20pm
How long are they napping at 4:00?

My suggestion would be to put them down around noon, after they eat lunch. Even if they don't sleep, make them stay in there and rest for at least an hour. Eventually they will tire out and go to sleep at that time. Even if you have to hear them cry, I would leave them in for an hour. Is Gary home during the day? Then I would put them to bed at 8:00 and let them cry. Midnight is crazy for all of you. What time do they sleep to in the morning when they go to bed so late?
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post #9 of 15
12/9/05 at 3:21pm
I cant help. We are softies here. Alyssa doesn't go to bed until 10pm most nights (she's 4) and she goes 99% of the time with no nap and is up at 7 most mornings. Kate is 1 now and I have had to do tough love on her to get her to nap. I give her lots of hugs and kisses and tell her its nap time and then put her down. The first few times it was all screams for like 30 minutes if not longer (gosh there was one time I let her cry for 2 hours! ) but now we are at a point where within 5 minutes she is asleep. Most naps she still cries at though. and I still cant convince her to sleep through the night unless she is in bed with me.
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post #10 of 15
12/9/05 at 4:37pm
I've seen the super nanny stuff. It's tougher on you at the beginning but it seems to work. I hope one of the ladies that has put it in to practice can explain it all to you.

All I know is that you do the bed time routine then everytime they get up you just put them back with no talking no hugs or anything. Sometimes it takes hours the first night but you CAN NOT give in. Good luck.
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post #11 of 15
12/9/05 at 6:24pm
I have that prob with Jake. Exactly only he is not a twin.
This is the softie approach!!! Everyone can tell me how wrong it is but it works for this child.
What I have noticed and sometimes it takes a couple days, is that if he wakes up 8:30am or earlier I can get him to take a short nap after lunch (trying not to eat tooo late) I tell him ok it's quiet time, you don't have to sleep, Just need to be quiet. Sometimes I lay down with him. He eventually falls asleep. I only let him sleep for about an hour or 45 min any longer and he is up till midnight. When it is time for bed you and your dh can go into their room and say ok it's quiet time we will read you a book or 2 even 4 if you have too. turn the light off and sit there with them, just for a little while. Then leave. hopefully this will work. We are softies, and we find this works alot better than dealing with screaming and crying. We are still kinda in the process of getting him to go to bed at night when we want him too. But it is slowly working for us.

Good Luck
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post #12 of 15
12/10/05 at 1:29am
Thread Starter 
Today they took a nap at 1pm and slept until 3pm. Emily went to sleep with no problem around 9:30 tonight, but PJ is still awake and it's 10:30. We are trying to get her to go to sleep, but she is a little monkey and won't cooperate.
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post #13 of 15
12/10/05 at 1:45am
i'm glad to hear you got the earlier nap, i can't imagine how hard it is with twins. it is frustrating enough with one when he refuses to nap
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post #14 of 15
12/10/05 at 2:28am
Thread Starter 
It's 11:20 and PJ just went to sleep. It took all we had not to let her go wake up her sister. About 45 minutes ago Emily woke up and started calling for PJ. Of course PJ was thrilled to see her walk out of their room and into ours, but, she was okay when Emily went right back to sleep because they were laying together. PJ fell asleep stroking Emily's hair...so sweet!
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post #15 of 15
12/10/05 at 1:01pm
That is so cute Keep it up, maybe if their naps aren't as long they will fall asleep even earlier. (easier said than done I know, still working on Jake)
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