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Behaviour/development

DD still sleeps with me plus WON'T let me dress her!

3 replies

Caththerese1973 · 30/08/2006 16:45

DD, 3.6, still won't go to sleep unless I lie down with her. She goes overnight with ex dp one night a week and apparently goes to sleep in a bed by herself when staying with him. I'm worried that if I don't break the habit, I'll mess her up in the head a bit, but I don't know how to start. She gets very upset if I won't lie down with her.
Also (can anyone relate to this?) Every morning, getting her dressed is like a wrestling match! She runs away from me, contorts herself so I can't get her pants on, if all else fails she demands 'cuddles' and I have to practically shove her off my knee, poor bairn. I don't understand this resistance to getting dressed. As for brushing her hair....I won't even go there. I'm not kidding, sometimes it takes about an hour to get her ready to leave the house!
Any suggestions about sleep/dressing problems would be appreciated.

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cupcakes · 30/08/2006 16:54

Will she dress herself? Does she pick her clothes?
It sounds like she's enjoying the attention she's getting from you.
Maybe you could lay her clothes out and leave her to get dressed whilst you leave the room and get yourself dressed. She might like to copy you.

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blueshoes · 30/08/2006 17:37

Caththerese1973, all I can say is that dd 2.11 is exactly like this. Since 2 months ago, she was still being wheeled down to sleep everynight in a buggy. So actually allowing herself to go down to sleep with dh and I next to her is already a massiave improvement!

My dd will do things for other people she would not do for me. I totally understand about her going to sleep by herself for your ex dp. Dd will do that at nursery and for her grandma but would go into apoplexy if I tried to make her do that at home.

On the sleep front, I don't think you are messing her head. If she needs more TLC from her mother to go to sleep, then unless you can't continue to do so (in my case, I am expecting No.2 in a few weeks so let's see), I would just go with it. That's what mothers are there for?

As for the getting dressed and brushing hair, my dd must be the only one in the nursery with matted hair, crusty eyes and clothes she was in yesterday, not to mention unkempt nails. The few tricks I have are to try and comb (ie unmatt) her hair before she wakes. If possible, have her in as much of the next days' clothes the night before (yes, forget pajamas) and if all else fails, just leave her in what she is! So long as she is covered in terms of modesty, so what if she

Having said that, I have forced her into knickers, trousers, tops before, when necessary. Or if she takes them off, I just leave the room in a huff and do my own thing. She will get hysterical at some point and give in. Some days are better than others.

If possible, get someone else to get her dressed. eg she is marginally better for dh than me. If she can dress herself/comb her hair, ask her if she would prefer to do it herself.

Needless to say, give yourself loads of lead time if you need to get somewhere for a specific time. Sympathies.

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sleepysooz · 30/08/2006 18:00

I have loads of sympathy for you guys, heres me worrying about getting my twins to bed, by themselves, wrecking a beautiful relationship with their father (uses dh ear as a comfort to sleep) yuk! 2.10 dd & ds

Good luck, I'll appreciate now the sleep we do get.

Although my ds has only just got dressed 6.00pm ya know nearly bedtime

They do try us don't they!

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