Playtime instead of bedtime? - He wants to play instead of sleep.

juliansmom wrote: Our Julian is almost 10 months old and has been pretty good about going down at night. Lately, however, after we go through our bedtime ritual (bath, reading, ...) and put him down in his crib he starts up with playtime. He'll sit himself up in his crib and sprint (a crawling sprint but a sprint nonetheless) from one end to other. Then he'll pull himself up to standing on the crib, giggling the whole time.
We try to tell him "it's beddy-by-time" or something and lay him backdown but he just giggles and starts the process over.
Is he just not tired enough to start the process? Or does anybody have any other thoughts?
Thanks.

ediep replied: if he isn't crying, I would just let him play awhile by himself. Maybe he likes the time to unwind a bit. Does he go to sleep after a playing bit of playing in the crib?

coasterqueen replied: I wish I had answers. Megan is a bit younger, 7 months, but she's been doing this playtime thing a LOT lately. I haven't been able to get her down til 10 pm for weeks now and it used to be 7:30 pm. I just let her play but she ends up fussing and it's a struggle til she finally passes out at 10 pm.

Sorry no advice

Kessie424 replied: Maybe just let him tell you when he's tired instead. Rubbing eye's cranky. And then put him to bed.


Megan

My3LilMonkeys replied: Brooke has always enjoyed playtime before she sleeps. I put her in her crib and she plays for 15-20 min and then goes to sleep.

I say let him go as long as he's happy.

Our Lil' Family replied: Thomas will sometimes do the same thing....did it tonight, just babbled for about 10 minutes, then went to sleep. I just close his door and let him be.

juliansmom replied: He definitely approaches going to bed (sometimes) like a game. If you try and put him back down on his back, he giggles, then tries to sit up and then pull himself up. If you leave him, he cries. I don't think it is appropriate to scold him yet, "Julian, No! It's bedtime!", so I try to wait it out with him -- the first few nights it's been at least a half hour before he is tired enough to just lie down and put himself to sleep.
(We've only seen this behavoir for a couple of nights. Just want to nip it in the bud).

MommyToAshley replied: My daughter always did this too, she would play and babble until she finally went to sleep. If he doesn't cry, I'd let him play until he falls asleep on his own. My daughter used to play in her crib for about 30-45 minutes when she first got up too.

She just turned 3, and now she still reads her books and talks to herself in bed until she finally falls asleep. People think I am joking when I say that I know she is finally asleep when I don't hear her talking any more, but it's the truth. I guess it's just her way of winding down. (I suppose it's better then mine, I usually fall asleep to the TV )

mckayleesmom replied: hmmm.....Well...what time does he go to bed? Perhaps you need to move it to an earlier time by 30 minutes or so...I know your probably thinking that if he wouldn't go to bed at your normal time..then why an earlier time. Sometimes kids get overtired and then once they go past tired...they get wired. Thats how my kids are anyways. Also, Maybe you can step outside of his door for 5 minutes or so and see if he stops crying after a couple minutes. He might just be testing you and knows you will come back in..kwim? Russell is 9 months old and he is very good about going to bed at 7 sharp and he usually sleeps till 5 in the morning and gets a bottle and sleeps till 9 or so. If I go past 7...he has a hard time sleeping and fights me more...sometimes he even goes to bed 30 minutes earlier because he is just too tired for any later. He usually gets 1 nap around 11 and 1 nap around 2 or so.

moped replied: I am the sleep nazi and this is normal. He is going thru a new stage of development where he can now stand and babble and he is practicing his new techniques....do not put him to bed later thinking he doesn't need the sleep.

And please don't punish him for it - Jack has been doing this for months, just let him play and he will fall asleep - it's all good

juliansmom replied: Thanks, all, for your responses. I've tried to leave him be and keep an eye on him through the cracked door and he fussed, sat up, stood up, and fell over bashing his face against the crib. I don't think he is old enough (or skilled enough at standing) to just leave him be when he is all playful and not able to just lie and put (cry) himself to sleep as he does other nights.
I think we just have to wait it out until he seems sleepy enough that he'll stay lying down. But I do like the idea of him being happy and playful in his crib so he does not associate it simply with bedtime.
We'll keep trying!

Thanks again.

moped replied:
I agree with brianne here too