Going to bed can sometimes feel like an all-out war--parents versus children. If your child throws tantrums, screams or cries at bedtime, you might think you have an obvious problem. But your child's reservations about sleeping in his own bed could stem from other stimuli that you don't know about. That's why talking to your child and evaluating his environment can help you discern the underlying reasons for the bedtime tantrums and help you find a scream-free solution to your child's bedtime woes.
Step 1
Wait for the optimal time to begin sleep training, suggests Parenting magazine. Trying to change your child's sleep habits around a time of emotional stress or change can cause her to resist going to bed even more. Wait until after a new baby, vacation or location change to try to get your child to sleep without screaming, so things have normalized and you can put your full effort into sleep training.
Step 2
Have a "Bed Party," where you take your child to the store and have him pick out his own sheets and pillows, as well as a new toy he can only have at bedtime. Make a big deal about the choices and talk them up so your child is excited to use them. Remind him that he can only use his new things if he sleeps in his own bed; if he gets out, you'll take them away and replace them with his old things.
Step 3
Talk to your child about reasons that she won't sleep in her bed or cries and screams at night, says pediatrician Alan Greene. You might be surprised to find out that what you thought of as defiance was really a fear of the dark, a nightmare or even a physical pain that your child is enduring through the night. Find solutions to the fears or pains. For instance, if your child is afraid of monsters at night, acknowledge the fear and give him a spray bottle filled with water as "monster repellent."
Step 4
Evaluate your child's sleeping conditions. Your child may be waking up and screaming at night because she is too hot, cold or uncomfortable. Sleep in your child's room for a night to see whether you can detect any underlying stimuli that may be waking your child up, prompting her to cry out for you, notes The Morning Call.
Step 5
Stay firm in your resolution to keep your child in his own bed. Though he may resist at first, after a week of the same consequences and actions, he'll learn what's expected of him, and adapt, even embrace, the new sleep routine.
