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394455 tn?1238901667

2 year old that seems to have her days and nights mixed up.

My 2 year old seems to have her days and nights mixed up.  Is that possible?
I have told her doctor that she has a hard time sleeping at night and she told me I was spoiling her.
I am lost I have no idea what to do.  
Let's see it is almost 2:30 in the morning and she is playing with her keyboard and dancing.  What is wrong with that picture.  Even though it is quite cute.  But I rather it be 2:30 in the afternoon.
I have tried almost everything.
Let's see typical day.  Wake up at 11 a.m., eat, play, help her sister do her schoolwork (we homeschool), if it is nice go outside and play, eat, play, bath, well this brings about 8 p.m. and have you noticed no nap.  She will not take a nap until about 10 p.m.   I can't keep her awake.  Then back up at midnight.  She plays some more until about 3.  
What do I do?
11 Responses
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Avatar universal
You are certainly not alone!! I homeschool six boys and had done foster care for 8 years.  All of my children have worked into great sleeping patterns, I never had one flip their schedule until my 2 year old.  It has been about a year and I'm exhausted! It doesn't matter what time I get him up or what time he takes a nap or when he goes to bed - I have tried every scenerio and he still is wide awake from about 9-10pm until all hours in the am. No matter what time he goes to bed at night he just thinks it's been a great nap - grrr. I wish I had answers, I don't.  But hopefully it's just a season in our lives and they can work into better sleep patterns.  It's hard, because it's not their fault - just wish their was an easy answer!!!!!!!
Helpful - 0
1559231 tn?1297059408
i would not let them watch any tv after 6pm at night - the tv is just stimulation their brains and keeping their minds busy.

I never had these problems with my son when he was 2. he had a very strick schedule that bed was at 8pm and he slept right through until 7am - with the odd night of disterbance, but i would not allow him to get out of his bed, i would not even switch the light on, any form of situmation is going to confuse their clocks and they will stay awake. He is nearlly 5 now and he is a wonderful sleeper.

you need a strick schedule, you need to limit stimulation after a certain time at night, and you need to be firm... for your own sake.
a 2 year old should not be in charge of your time schedule... you should be.
My son was a very bad sleeper for the first year or so, but we stuck it out and stuck to his schedule and finally 1 night someone must have flipped a switch and everthing worked out wonderful.
Situmuation is the worst thing you can give a child if you are trying to get them to sleep.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Wow..I wish my son was on a better schedule.I have this problem to but worse.My son wakes up between 1-3pm he then falls asleep at 8pm then wakes up at 12 and is up til 7am watchinq cartoons he doesn't play with his toys at niqht he just lays in bed watchinq cartoons.Is there any advice out here for what I should do?
Helpful - 0
1072551 tn?1258203266
My two year has been like that for a while. But recently shes started going to sleep at a better time. now between 9 and 10 usually. I would prefer earlier than that but its still a big improvement.

Maybe if you take away her toys at night so she cant play that will help. Also i would have a set time in th evening and after that time she cant have anything to drink except water.
Helpful - 0
1006035 tn?1485575897
At 2 years old I wouldn't worry about that too much. My daughter did that when she was 2. Now that she's 3 her sleeping schedule is a lot better. I think what helped her get on a better schedule is that she is now potty trained. She wakes up to pee in the morning and doesn't go back to sleep. We also don't let her take a nap past 5pm. Do everything you can to keep her awake. Give her candy, a bath, or a walk.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
i have the same problem!!! Lets see my pass hours where she was up  went to sleep at 10pm work up at 230am fell back to sleep at 6am was back up at 8am day before yesterday fell asleep at 1pm and slept until 12am and here it is 430 and shes still up im going to make her an appointment and try and get them to run some test on her (mind you we are military and her daddy is away which could be some of the problem) but does this often
Helpful - 0
394455 tn?1238901667
I talked to the nurse yesterday and she gave me the same advice.  That means a zombie  mommy for awhile.
Helpful - 0
394455 tn?1238901667
We have tried that and she still stays in this schedule.  My husband has woke her up at 9 a.m. and kept her out most of the day, she would take an early nap, then go down at 10 p.m.  and she would wake up at midnight and won't go back down until about 3 a.m.
We tried that for about a week and I am sorry to say that we (mom and dad) needed our sleep.  But, I think I am going to try it again.
Helpful - 0
154929 tn?1196187738
It may hurt for a few days But even if she goes down at 5:30 in the morning wake her up at say 8 or 9....until you can reset her schedule.  Then try at say 12-1 to have her take a nap--it may work  Also don't let her take a nap for say longer than two hours, soshe will feel tired at a normal bedtime of say 8:30 or 9:00---I don't know what else to tell you, than I hope that you can find a solution.
Helpful - 0
394455 tn?1238901667
It is now almost 2 p.m. My daughter is still asleep.  I just woke up about 30 minutes ago.    
I need to go wake her but, it is so nice and quiet.
She didn't go down until 5:30 a.m.
Helpful - 0
1 Comments
I am currently experiencing the same EXACT problem!
394455 tn?1238901667
O.k.  I just read this through and I am kidding myself if that is my typical day.  That typical day is the one that I would love to have.  :)  Sorry about that.   But, I need some sleep.  I am not sure what a typical day of ours would look like.  Other than crazy.  
Helpful - 0
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