Sleep Wispering

Kelly wrote in that 18 month old Justin is able to climb out of his crib.  If he isn't "ready" to go to sleep,  he simply attemps to leave the crib.  It can take Kelly up to an hour -cajoling, talking to, reading to, etc. to keep Justin in his room, in his crib, before he goes to sleep.

It's important here to begin gathering more information before prescribing help.  A more encompassing view of Justin's make-up and Justin's environment helps to reduce a sense of urgency that naturally occurs when we expect a quick fix.  A more spacious view allows us to reset our approach to child-rearing.  One of child-study can emerge instead.

Self-knowledge and child-knowledge flourish with such a disposition.  Child and parental frustration can ease as we examine variables surrounding Justin's life, developmental directions/needs, and family life.  Reliable and more workable options emerge to further explore. Professionally speacking this endeavor is called "Filial Research."

While parents engage in study and carefully examined practice, they might benefit from consulting our network of Global Parents, seeking internships.  They are trained to assist, guide, collect data, and offer respite care to parents engaged in Filial Research.  Many are retired teachers, social workers, or long-terms grandparents.  To get started, call today for consultation and support.
In the meantime, plan to keep a notebook and enter  daily logs around the following areas:

Look for precipitating events, stimulus-response connections.  
Compare evenings that "go well" with those that don't: 
Let's make note this week around emerging differences in your child's  experiences of people, places, things, routines. Don't jump to conclusions or interpretrations of recorded details.  Make objective notes that describe behavior, rather than label or interpret.
More questions may reveal some obstacles to infant/toddler readiness to sleep...
Is s/he napping/resting/inactive too much by day?
Is s/he eating foods w sugar anytime during day, or evening?
Is s/he getting lots of physical activity, hugs, peer play by day, ?
Is s/he spending enough active engagement time out in fresh air?
Is s/he getting enough time w mommy/daddy/soothing music?

Have you removed access to tv, video, stimulating visual/auditory after three oclock?

Does his/her caretaker schedule allow thoughtful observation of natural sleep-awake cycles? Metaphorically speaking, infant and toddler cylces resemble the waning and waxing moon.  Knowing the signs, the indicators of need for stimulation vs saturation is crucial among your child's caretakers.  It is important that s/he is getting enough stimulation during the awake phase...as well as  not being over-stimulated as her awake phase fades.