I don't know about you but bedtime at my house is living hell. I only have one son, he just turned two, and no matter how diligent I think I'm being about bedtime routine and being down at 9:45-10:00 for good it always takes till nearly midnight (or later sometimes!) to get him to sleep for good. He'll lay there and pretend to sleep and be quiet for over ten minuites but within minuites of leaving the room I hear him get out of bed. I yell, I bribe, I try to pretend to sleep with him, I have tried letting him sleep in my bed, I've spanked I've let him stay up, I tried very unsuccesfully to skip naptime....I don't know what else to do. We recently moved from an apartment to a home a few hours away from the rest of the family. When we moved (about 3 months ago) we also switched from a crib to a child's bed. Going back to a crib is not currently an option, at least not reasonably, and I know that so many changes at once to his norm could be to blame but what's the solution?

Hi Emily. I think we have all been there or are there with bed time. I found that the most important thing to keep in mind is that every child is different and that they are really not trying to aggrevate us when then cannot go to sleep at a certain time that we decide they should.

Persistency and routine are the key, accompanied with lots of encouragement and love (NO PUNISHMENT). It seams like in your case the little one was effected by too many changes at once. He needs time to get used to his new bed and new place. Why don't you try to start bed time earlier? Let's say at 8 or 8:30. Maybe try a completely different routine: giving him his milk (if you do before his bed time),  giving him a bath (add some lavender bubble bath or lavender oil to his bath, or use lavender body wash - the key is lavender to calm and sooth), then read him a story with lights already dimmed and him being in his bed already. Set a limit on how many stories or how long the story time is so that over time he is used to the timing. Then maybe sing one or 2 lullabies or play them on the background using cd player or iPod, whatever you have. Stick to the same routine no matter what (you might have to test a couple before you settle for one that's most effective for you and your little one). After a while you'll definitely succeed. You just have to stick with it and BE PATIENT. I know it is hard and we lose our patience sometimes, but teaching our children something like settling down for sleep is a great opportunity to teach outselves as well.

Best of luck to you and your son.

One recommendation I can make is to change the bedtime and definitly not skip naptime during the day.  Children who are tired have more trouble actually going to sleep than children who are well rested (it is a paradox, I know,  but it's true).  9:30-10 is quite late for a child to just be getting into bed.  Unless he is sleeping until almost noon the next day, he is not getting enough rest at night.  Kids need 12-13 hours of sleep at night(at his age) and 2-3 hours during the day for nap.  Granted, not all kids will nap that long, and some kids will not sleep for 13 hours at night, but it is important to give them the chance.  At 2 years old, I was putting my son to sleep between 7:30-8 pm.  Now, he is 4 years old, and his bedtime is 8:30.  Sometimes it takes an hour or more for him to fall asleep, but I think it is important to get him in bed at the same time every night.

You mentioned that he gets out of bed after laying there for awhile.  If he is getting up and playing with toys, ect, I would suggest making sure all the toys are put away, and if his toys are done in such a way that they are accessable even when they are cleaned up, then you can get some tubs or containers to put them in so he can not get to them when he is suppose to be sleepinng.

In addition to that, I would say that I agree with what Anastasia has said as well.  I hope that you can find something that works, for both of your sakes.

Take a deep breath! This too shall pass!

Sometimes bedtime early is not always possible...either you want to see him and play before bedtime or you are a busy family, or whatever the reason. Just try to make the bedtime earlier. Its not easy, but is necessary...8:30 is probably the latest you would want your little guy to be up until. That means start the bedtime routine at 7!

7-pickup toys and games and rambunctious activities!

7:15-snack (if you allow it)

7:30-warm bath followed by a nice massage

8:00-a few stories, a good snuggle, and some lullabies in bed

8:20-good night kissies, good-night huggies, turn on the nightlight, check for monsters under the bed and all the last minute stall tactics he will try!

8:30-lights out.

Leave the room and wait. If he climbs out of bed put him back (first time tell him its bedtime, every other time do not speak!)

It will probably be very difficult at first, but it will get easier. Just remember to breath! Deep cleansing breaths because it will be frustrating, but it will pass and soon you will have a good go-to-bed-and-sleep kid!

Best of luck!