I'm at my WITS end!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My 4.5 year old hasn't slept for the past 4 nights. He goes in at 8:00pm (his normal time), will sleep until about 10:30...then it's scream city! Crying that he can't sleep, asking DH and I to come into his room a MILLION times, fix his sheets, move his pillow...we are losing our minds!
He NEVER has done this before. He does have a little cold and a SLIGHT ear infection but he's already on his last day of the antibiotic. He hasn't watched or seen anything scary (Noggin is on all day...that's it). Nothing new is going on in our home. He returns to school in a few weeks but he is so excited to see his friends (that we've been having playdates with all summer long as well). I don't know what to do!!
One night I slept in his bed...never again! I do NOT want him to get used to it. We can't let him carry on because he'll wake up my 14 month old.
I even resorted to using "monster spray" to rid his room of any hiding "demons". (A Eucalyptus spray from Bed Bath). That worked for 2 hours...until the spray scent faded!

Please....HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Re: I'm at my WITS end!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What if you put an air freshener in there so that the "monster spray" smell doesn't go away?

Re: I'm at my WITS end!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That could help...but it was a temporary fix at that. DS said dinosaurs can still come into his room because they aren't REAL monsters...just big animals! I tell ya...he's a real pip....but not at 2:00 am with no sleep!

Re: I'm at my WITS end!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I told my kids that there were absolutely no monsters allowed in our house. If they see them, they have to tell them to turn around, walk down the hall, open the door, leave and remind them to be sure to close the door behind them so the bugs don't come in our house.

It doesn't sound like a monster problem as much as an attention problem. Maybe try making his bedtime a little later.

Re: I'm at my WITS end!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The kid is PASSING OUT at 8:00pm. He can't even keep his eyes open past that time.
I'm hoping it's a phase. A short one at that!

Message edited 9/1/2006 12:20:15 PM.

Re: I'm at my WITS end!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This may be anxiety about returning to school. Even though he will be with his friends that he has seen all summer, he still may be feeling anxious about returning. There is always the fear of the unknown. I would talk to him about going back to school, tell him what to expect, remind him about seeing his friends and reassure him that everything will be fine. Sometimes the things that we think won't bother them, most certainly will.

Re: I'm at my WITS end!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well...if he has a slight ear infection - how about a little tylenol? Might help him stay asleep too...

Re: I'm at my WITS end!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Knowing NIcholas I would say he is just not feeling well. When do you have his ear rechecked, its possible the antibiotics didnt work since he has had so many ear infections.

Does he complain of monsters. If Ryan thought there was a monster in his room he wouldnt sleep either, but only because he would want to get up and play with it You could tell Nicholas your alarm would go off if it senses monsters (or dinosaurs) in the house.