Desperate Times...

As I may have not so slightly alluded to in the last post, Ellie has been having difficulties lately with going to bed.  She has been a pretty good and darn right dependable sleeper for the most part, so this tantrum-y behavior has thrown us.  No, more than thrown us, it has grated at our every nerve, and we have been wishing that we could snap our fingers and have Supernanny here in a flash to tell us the best approach in dealing with this less than ideal behavior.

What happens is this:  we take her through a happy, snappy, smooth, relaxing bedtime routine of using the potty, brushing teeth, reading two or three books, praying, singing a song, hug/kiss combo, and then its lights out.  We leave, shutting the door.

Less than 30 seconds later...cue the fake crying and minor hysterics.

If not attended to, this turns in to full on hysterics and pleas of needing to go to the bathroom, wanting to rock with daddy on the rocking chair, needing "chapskip (chapstick)," needing a drink of water, wanting different books...you name it, she's screamed it.

At first, we tried to reason with her.  This DID NOT work.

Then, I tried the 5-10-15 minute cry it out approach in which when one of us would pop in the room and whisper "sshh" and leave again.  This worked for a few days.

So, I suppose desperate times calls for desperate measures.  I made a sticker chart, and it is FILLED with fun (easy for mom/dad to fulfill) mini-rewards along the way.

Feeling quite proud of myself for being artsy and crafty and thrifty, I cut up a paper bag, leaving the handle so the chart can hang on a doorknob in Ellie's room.  On the back, I taped on a pocket full of Halloween stickers that my lovely lady had never seen before.

I quickly showed Ellie this new creation, and for now she seems to be entirely on board.  We've had six successful bed times, and one successful nap time.  Here's to hoping that this will end up being just what Ellie needs to shed some of these bad bedtime habits!