just wanting to know this is okay?

**levason** · 07-03-2011, 09:18 AM

The little 10mth old I have is not the best at getting off to sleep, doesn't really like being cuddled to sleep so I put him straight in the travel cot, this causes lots of tears, I feel bad letting him cry himself to sleep as it can take a good 20mins but it's the only thing that works - is this okay to do? I do go into him every now and again to reassure him but to be honest this just starts him off again? just want to know I'm not being mean. I must admit we did do this with our own ds as he was an awful sleeper and it was our last resort but it worked!!

Also any tips on how to keep a 2yr old quiet?lol!! I'm currently only registered down stairs, so sleeps happen in the living room which is joined onto the playroom where I play with my own son, but he is sooo noisy and he only seems to be like it when mindee is trying to get to sleep, ds is pretty bright and tbh I think he does it on purpose sometimes. I have asked for a variation to register upstairs which will hopefully ease the situation!xx

**rickysmiths** · 07-03-2011, 09:29 AM

I have one who I have had from 3mths old, they will be a year old this week and still spends 15-20 crying to sleep. I think some children are just like this, my dd was. I put some quite music on to help sooth the situation.

**snufflepuff** · 07-03-2011, 09:50 AM

I had a mindee who would cry herself to sleep. She slept in a buggy, and would start to cry as soon as I got the buggy out of the cupboard! The length of crying gradually decreased to maybe 5 minutes at most. And it was never proper screaming or a distressed cry. She slept in the kitchen and I found that if I had my washing machine on she would go off to sleep in about 30 seconds! So funny! I will admit that if i had washing to do i'd put it in the machine first thing in the morning but not switch it on until mindees nap time, lol!

**Zoomie** · 07-03-2011, 10:19 AM

i've had one mindee for a year now, and he still cries

Actually he doesn't now, I only sort of noticed recently

**angiemog** · 07-03-2011, 10:31 AM

I have let mindees cry before they go to sleep. I think 20 mins is ok, you will prob find this will decrease in time. As for keeping a 2 year old quiet..... depending on times, can you have lunch and maybe a 20mins of tv once the baby is asleep? Play a game, play dough, puzzles, drawing.... Registering upstairs will help I think. x

**mr man** · 07-03-2011, 11:08 AM

a friend od mine used the hoover to put her two to sleep - similar to washing machine.

i wonder why some children like this? she went through a few hoovers while they were young.

my neice cries herself to sleep - hard task at first, but now she gets in bed and literally goes straight to sleep.

**gigglinggoblin** · 07-03-2011, 12:16 PM

If you are already registered it probably wont be a big deal to get another room included on your certificate so they can sleep there in a travel cot. You can fill in the form and email it to Ofsted, if you include a good risk assessment they might not even bother to come out. I registered my garden and sent photos and risk assessment, the guy I spoke to on the phone laughed and said the only thing missing was a sample of grass but it saved me a visit so was worth it!

**Alibali** · 07-03-2011, 01:20 PM

If I have any that cry when going to sleep I put them in a completely flat pram (with parental consent) and rock them to sleep for the fist while, it's only ever taken a week for them to get used to it. I always use the same phrases etc and they get used to it being 'snooze time' once they're in the habit of falling off on their own at snooze time i can change to travel cot if necessary and they just accept it, maybe I've just been very lucky so far

**nicoleon** · 07-03-2011, 01:22 PM

i'd ask what the home routine is. i've got one mindee who cries a little before going to sleep but like others have said, this has decreased over time and parents said it's what she does at home as well so i am not overly worried about it. all my others are super sleepers, have trouble waking them

**Vickster** · 07-03-2011, 01:28 PM

My daughter always cried herself to sleep, but must have stopped at about 15 months. My son was the same.... It is a tired cry rather than a distressed one. A tired one is cry cry cry, stop, cry cry cry then gradually the quiet times lengthen until they go off. I would just check with Mum.

**ziggy** · 07-03-2011, 02:04 PM

i have just started minding a 6month old who cries for a while in the cot, i just keep going in and giving her the dummy and she then sleeps for over 2 hours.

The 2 year old mindee settled much better once i left the radio on in the room

**Helen79** · 07-03-2011, 03:57 PM

I would find out how he goes to sleep at home or whether parents are happy for him to cry.
I'd look at other solutions first, rocking in the pram, bouncy chair, quiet music/story cd, laying on the sofa in the living room with you sat next to him.

A lot of babies cry to sleep for a few minutes, to me 20 minutes is too long. I would get lo up and try again later but it depends on how he goes to sleep at home and if it's distressed crying rather than 'i'm too tired to relax' kind of crying.