Sleep Training a Clingy Toddler

You want a peaceful night's sleep, one without a toddler crying for you from down the hall or kicking you in the ribs while you share your suddenly too-small bed. However, your clingy toddler wants otherwise and insists on making every bedtime a battle. Sleep training might have failed with your little one when she was a baby, but now is the time to try some new toddler-specific tactics to encourage a good night's sleep for the entire family.

  1. Bedtime Buddy

    • For the last year or more, you might have been your toddler's bedtime buddy, snuggling up with him to nurse, rock, sing or simply snuggle to sleep. Train your toddler to replace your snuggles with another snuggly object. A favorite blanket or stuffed animal can be the ideal bedtime buddy for a toddler. Over time, even your clingy toddler can come to rely on her bedtime buddy -- and not you -- for soothing. The American Academy of Pediatrics' website HealthyChildren.org explains that a favorite object can help your toddler fall to sleep and even fall back to sleep if he wakes up during the night.

    Play Dead

    • You're probably used to jumping out of bed and responding to your child's every cry and whimper overnight. Rather than responding instantly, play dead -- or at least play asleep -- to encourage your clingy toddler to soothe herself back to sleep. Ask Dr. Sears explains that this tactic pushes your toddler to fall back to sleep since sitting up in the dark in the middle of the night isn't exactly entertaining. Wait for the crying to escalate before rushing into your toddler's room -- holding off for several minutes, which might feel like a long time, can encourage your toddler to self soothe.

    Shorten the Snuggle

    • If your toddler experiences separation anxiety during bedtime, going cold turkey and making him fall asleep alone will likely lead to tears -- perhaps for both of you. You might opt to snuggle with your toddler before bed but decrease the duration gradually to encourage your clingy little one to eventually fall asleep. This approach isn't a quick fix, but it can lead to long-term sleep success for your clingy toddler.

    Just Say No

    • Your little one isn't a helpless newborn anymore, and she understands what yes and no mean. She also understands that the middle of the night isn't time for playing, crying or waking up mom and dad. If your clingy toddler is making unreasonable requests at night, learn to say no. While this blunt method of sleep training probably won't go over well at first, it teaches your toddler what is and isn't appropriate behavior at night, which can lead to more restful nights for your little one.

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