Tot Clock

If you follow this blog, you'll remember that I was having some serious issues with Thomas sleeping all night long in his bed this past fall. It started shortly after I went back to work and really became a problem throughout October. When I say "problem," I'm talking about getting up several times throughout the night, coming to my room, when I would bring him back to bed there would be tantrums and tears every night. I was becoming very frustrated (and tired) considering he had always been such a good sleeper.

I put out a "call" to my girlfriends who had kids close in age who might have experienced this same problem and got lots of great advice. I decided to try a reward-system calendar in which Thomas earned a sticker every night he stayed in his own bed all night long until the morning. For every 3 stickers, he earned a "prize" - he LOVED it and took right to it. We called it Operation Night-Night Chart. He really became proud of himself when he saw the stickers start to add up and then he picked a reward. Win-Win situation, right?

Apparently that got old. It's not that we had any more tantrums, but slowly he started to come into my room again early, early in the morning and lay his pillow & blankets down on the floor next to my bed and go to sleep. It doesn't sound like that big of deal, but I really was trying to be consistent and teach Thomas that we all need to sleep in our own beds. As I started to read more about this common toddler problem and what different experts and other mommies/daddies had to say, it became very clear to me that it wasn't an issue of him wanting to get up, he just really didn't know what time it was and when he woke up, he just got up. DUH!!!!!!!!!! Hello Michelle!!!!! Why didn't I realize this? We all know to look at the clock and see what time it is and that tells us if it is time to wake up or time to go to bed. Thomas needed a clock that told him that (even know he can't tell time yet). Thank goodness a mommy had already invented such a thing... "My Tot Clock"

So... I bought it. A little pricey ($59), but it said there is a money back gaurentee that your child will be sleeping MUCH better within 30 days. "My Tot Clock" changes colors to teach little ones when to sleep (blue light) and when it’s okay to wake (yellow light). Matter of fact, when the blue light comes on (preset time by parent), it has a bed time story followed by lullaby songs and when the yellow light comes on (also preset by parent), it has a wake up song. Thomas immediately loved "his clock". It took a few nights, but he is sleeping so much better, which ultimately means that I am sleeping so much better. Mission accomplished!