How do you get them all to sleep

[Fabby]

At the moment I have an 11 month old, 21 month old a 3 year old who all currently go to sleep together in the car after we have been to a group in the morning. I'm thinking bad weather is coming up and I am wanting to get out of the habit of them all sleeping in the car because last thing I'm going want do is drive to get them asleep.
How do to get all your mindees asleep at the same time and where do they sleep?

[silvermist]

I have 2 los 15 and 17 months. They both have a bottle at around 10/10.30 then they go to sleep in travel cots. We've got into a really good routine now but its taken about 2 months xxxx

[cathtee]

I have 3 lo's 11m 19m and 39m. the 11m goes on way back from am school run, and sometimes again on nursery run 11.30 if not about
2 after bottle. the 19m one at about 1pm I say k bedtime, she finds her lilac bed doll and has her dummy and a kisses and she just goes off
on her own, 39m doesn't sleep anymore so we do quiet activites while others nap.

[mushpea]

never had 3 that have slept all at the same time due to different routines but the two I had sleep together I would go for a walk with them in the pram, got me and the older one out and the younger ones slept outside in the pram when we got back, I still do it now, me and the 4yrold went for a walk today so his sister would nod off in the pram, hes really loving walking at the moment and asks to go out which helps lol, I dont always go for walks though, the 2.5yrold I put down on the sofa yesterday or somtimes I will just wrap them up and put them in pram out back.,, they defo sleep longer in the fresh air.

[gegele]

i have a 16month, 21months and nearly 3 who all sleep!!!

little one is losing am sleep now, I do lunch just before 12 so the children are in bed between 12.15 /12.30 and i wake them at 2.30

16months in travel cot in dd bedroom with dummy
21months travel cot with clothe in ds bedroom and 3yrs on bottom bunk in DS room as well.

they all know the routine : school run - activity / outing - lunch - nappie / potty - sleep - school run - snack - play - dinner - home.

the 3yrs old tells you exactly what happen next :-)


kids haven't got regular naps at parents but in my home they know and just go to sleep.

younger one used to scream for ages but i just told him it's bed time, night night. and let him to it. he got used to it quite quickly.

you need to pick your routine and persevere.

if children fall asleep in car I would give them a few raisins to keep them busy and made them sing. My lot won't go back to sleep if have a few minute in car but then 1h later they're over tired!!

[vdubnut]

I have 3 to 4 each day aged between 18months and 3 yrs and usually after lunch they're all pretty tired so they each have a corner of the sofa with a blanket , because they've been coming a while they know the routine and fall asleep quite willingly , its a great little system . Means I get a peaceful lunch break

[catswhiskers]

I've looked after 3 together in the past but was usually an older child who didn't sleep anyway.

My routine is going out to a group in the morning, leaving at 11.30-11.45 and not letting them go to sleep before lunch.

They have lunch, we look at special books, then by 1pm they are both in the travel cots with their sleep aids, special toy, teddy, dummy, blanket.

This routine works for me as the children usually sleep for an hour and a half/two hours then we do afternoon stuff, garden, park.

mushpea I'm quite shocked that you put your mindees outside to sleep! It might be a secure place but still seems a bit extreme putting them outside in the cold weather.

[gegele]

mushpea I'm quite shocked that you put your mindees outside to sleep! It might be a secure place but still seems a bit extreme putting them outside in the cold weather.

if child is well covered there's no problem. When lo fell asleep in buggy I used to leave them asleep in the garden. when cold I put rain cover on as well as blankets and it keeps the heat in. Look at rain cover they get steamy in the winter.

[loocyloo]

my routine is we have lunch, and then it is rest/quiet time.

yesterday for the first time i tried my 21mth old on a sleep mat on the floor ... bless, LO lay down and didn't move again until woke up! in fact yesterday, i had all 3 LO asleep in the same room at the same time. 2 LO woke up, and just very quietly lay & chatted & swapped cuddlies till i came in ( i was stood just out of sight listening! it was soooo sweet! )

[smurfette]

Somedays I have four all asleep here at the one time! Not so easy if they are younger and have had a morning nap but when I had two that age I used to put them down for a half an hour at about 930, and then wake them up to take them out to a group/ playground etc. they were rested enough to enjoy the activity and tired enough to sleep after lunch.

The secret I think really is the routine... If they are out and busy in the morning being stimulated, and you can keep them awake in the car/buggy on the way home then have a good lunch they will go down much easier and you get a break! Their little bodies do adjust to the routine and it isn't long before they are needing the lunch and then a sleep ... If you are having problems settling them try this so they are tired, settle them in different rooms if possible and maybe work on getting one settled at a time, when that one goes down easy work on the next one! It's easier if you put the hardest one to settle down first so they don't disturb the others. I have one now who cries a bit before she goes off as she is new and not in a routine at home, and she only sleeps for 40 minutes so I pop her into the buggy in the playroom and shut the door. I have one in the buggy in the hallway, and one or two on chairs in the siting room and I sit with them having my lunch (heavy sleepers!) I do also have a travel cot in the playroom I use somedays. It's just a case really of trying different places for them to sleep and see what works best. It's great when you can do it though and as I get new Los they just slot into the routine with the others. If they all sleep together I get my few minutes head space and they get all the activities I can do together so get the best care

[eddie]

It usually takes a few weeks for me to get them to nap at around the same time. I always put them down at the same time and wake them at a certain time. They go down at 1130 and are woken up at 1245 if they haven't naturally woken before as we have lunch at 1300. I am flexible though and if someone is ill, had a bad night etc then I change it about. Any non nappers have toys and activities in the conservatory at the same time.

[nipper]

I have a 9 month, 18 month and 3 year old most days. The baby still needs a morning nap around 9.30 which is when we would be at a toddler group two days a week. She either falls asleep in the pushchair on the way back from the school run and yesterday I managed to get her into the car seat without waking her, so she had her half hour nap before toddlers started.

We have lunch around 12 so they are all ready for a sleep between 12.30-1pm and I start to wake them around 2.15 if they aren't already awake. I have two travel cots set up in two spare rooms and a sleep mat in another room for the three year old, depending on if she's tired/needs a sleep (she is with me from 7am-6pm so it's a long tiring day for her if she doesn't sleep and she will go into meltdown when the schoolies get back). I like the idea of having sleeps in the afternoon, even if it just gives me chance to clear up after lunch. I put a disney cd on the landing so they can all hear it. Eventually I guess the baby will drop that morning sleep so I guess it's just getting her used to sleeping after lunch, even if it's just half an hour for the moment. I'm trying to get her used to the idea of self-settling, which after about a month she seems to be getting the hang of.

[Fabby]

Thanks everyone. I love the fact that they ALL go sleep at the same time but I'm just not loving the rut we have got into of sleeping in the car because the bad weather is coming up and I don't want to be using the car as much. I suppose I've just got give it a go them all sleeping in the house. I'm going to put the youngest asleep first by rocking her in the buggy and then I will tackle my own ds and put him asleep but he needs me next to him to fall asleep if at home. The 3 year old will happily just lie on the sofa and fall asleep which he has done in the past and if he doesn't want sleep then he will be quiet he is good like that. He usually wakes before the other 2 younger ones and he is always so quiet bless him

[mushpea]

I've looked after 3 together in the past but was usually an older child who didn't sleep anyway.

mushpea I'm quite shocked that you put your mindees outside to sleep! It might be a secure place but still seems a bit extreme putting them outside in the cold weather.

why? , do you not take your mindees outside in the pram for walks then? fresh air is good for them, if I was to go for a walk they would still be outside and still have the same hat gloves, coat and fleecy blanket over them as they do now, I fail to see the difference in them being asleep outside than if they we were going for a walk for an hour outside, if I bring them indoors with all their coats etc on they would cook and this wouldnt be good for them and if I tried to strip them off then they would wake which isnt fair to them.

[nipper]

Have to agree with mushpea...too much central heating nowadays. Let's do it like the Scandinavians do it, stick 'em all outside (even in Winter). I don't see any problems, as well as they are well wrapped up and you check on them regularly. My little 18 month old mindee used to sleep outside in the summer, she was so peaceful as she drifted off staring at the clouds and the wind chimes in the tree. The problem is, it's too much extra effort for people to do this.

[catswhiskers]

mushpea, I can understand that if you're out for a walk, school run etc. and you don't want to disturb a child then you could possibly leave them outside in the pram to continue to sleep as long as it's a secure area.

But then you mentioned when inside you wrap them up and put them outside to sleep. Yes fresh air is great and you sound like you love getting out and about with the children (don't we all) but it's just something I wouldn't do.

[The Juggler]

i have 16 months, 21 months and 2 x 3 1/2.

16 months goes down at 1pm. 21 months at 1.20. quick game and a story with 3 year olds then they go down at 1.30-1.40. Wake all of them at 2.45 ish.

tidy up, paperwork and lunch for me

[jo.jo76]

i have 16 months, 21 months and 2 x 3 1/2.

16 months goes down at 1pm. 21 months at 1.20. quick game and a story with 3 year olds then they go down at 1.30-1.40. Wake all of them at 2.45 ish.

tidy up, paperwork and lunch for me

3 1/2 yr olds that sleep during the day! I must be doing something wrong! lol None of mine have napped during day since 2 1/2yrs! Lucky you!

[The Juggler]

3 1/2 yr olds that sleep during the day! I must be doing something wrong! lol None of mine have napped during day since 2 1/2yrs! Lucky you!

lol neither of my own two did past 2 years! but i have been blessed with toddlers who find our activities totally exhausting and want to sleep - tell me they are tired after lunch!

[mrs robbie williams]

i have three under three on a wednesday and they all go to sleep at the same time - 2yr old sleeps on sofa, i only let her have her dummy if she is going to sleep so she goes off quite happily, 1yr old i put in the buggy in the kitchen, other 1 yr old goes in his buggy in the dining room - if im lucky i can get an hour and a half of peace