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Bedtime for Toddlers
10 Steps to Sleep Without Tears
By Dr. Laura Markham
7. Make sure they get enough fresh air and exercise during the day.
Your grandmother was right: Kids really do sleep more soundly when they get more outdoor play. Just not in the hour before bedtime, which re-energizes them! 8. Most toddlers fall asleep easily if you lie down with them.
Many parents do this. Other parents resist the temptation, because they too often fall asleep themselves, and lose their evenings. This is an individual call, and there is no shame in waiting till your child is a little older before expecting her to put herself to sleep – it does get easier for kids as they get older. Many working moms, particularly, treasure this time with their kids, and love being able to go to sleep early, then get up rested at the crack of dawn. One downside of this habit is that if the child is not in your bed, you'll need to move, which wakes you up. The other downside is that when he awakens slightly in the middle of the night, during normal sleep cycles, he may well protest your absence. 9. All humans wake slightly at night during normal sleep cycles.
Statistically, toddlers who sleep by themselves often wake fully looking for Mom, since sleeping alone isn't a natural biological state for them. If you don't want your toddler appearing by your bed at night, you'll need to teach new sleep habits so he can put himself back to sleep during the night. 
If you've been nursing or rocking your child to sleep, he's likely to wake during the night looking for you, and will need to be nursed or rocked again to fall back asleep. Your goal now is to help him fall asleep in his own crib or bed, comfortably. That means putting him in bed when he's awake, so he gets used to falling asleep there himself. Breaking habits can be challenging – he can't understand why you won't nurse or rock him now. You can expect him to need your close physical proximity to settle down. In the beginning, it can also help to reward him with star charts and prizes.
