How To Teach 12 Mo Old To Fall Asleep On His Own?

[Scout]

I have a new ft 12 mo that started last week. Mom admits that she always rocks him to sleep. I can not do that and am having a hard time getting him to self soothe, which is screwing up all of naptime. He is sharing ds's room and ds will immediately fall asleep if he isn't interupted. This little guy will only sleep for one hour as well and is going down about 45 min before the other kids. I am getting absolutely no break now because of this. He gets here at 6:30 am and I tried a morning nap. He screamed the whole time! Mom thinks he can skip it but, today he fell asleep at lunch at 12:30 and was up at 1:30 and I can't get him back down!! How long should I expect it to take him to learn to fall asleep on his own? Thanks!

[Cat Herder]

Keep following your current routine, change it up as rarely as possible. Repetition and consistency are the only things that work.

Personally, I'd not have him in a room with your own son as that is likely to be a hot button eventually. No judgment, we are naturally more protective of our own, even if we don''t realize that. :hug:

The big one: Put this back on MOM where it belongs. She bears the responsibility to prepare her own child for group childcare. SHE should be teaching her child to self soothe at home. SHE is the one who chose to put her child in care, it is a commonly known thing... No surprises. She is not the exception to the rule.

[Play Care]

I have a new ft 12 mo that started last week. Mom admits that she always rocks him to sleep. I can not do that and am having a hard time getting him to self soothe, which is screwing up all of naptime. He is sharing ds's room and ds will immediately fall asleep if he isn't interupted. This little guy will only sleep for one hour as well and is going down about 45 min before the other kids. I am getting absolutely no break now because of this. He gets here at 6:30 am and I tried a morning nap. He screamed the whole time! Mom thinks he can skip it but, today he fell asleep at lunch at 12:30 and was up at 1:30 and I can't get him back down!! How long should I expect it to take him to learn to fall asleep on his own? Thanks!

When I have children that age they are in their own room in a PNP. I have room darkening shades and a fan going. I make sure they are moving all morning and put them down with a "night night" the only time I go in after that is to give a gentle "shhh, friends are sleeping." I do not get them up until quiet time is over, only popping in as needed to *verbally*soothe. I do not pair kids up for naps until I know they can handle it as it makes my life so much easier!
Good luck!

[Scout]

Keep following your current routine, change it up as rarely as possible. Repetition and consistency are the only things that work.

Personally, I'd not have him in a room with your own son as that is likely to be a hot button eventually. No judgment, we are naturally more protective of our own, even if we don''t realize that. :hug:

The big one: Put this back on MOM where it belongs. She bears the responsibility to prepare her own child for group childcare. SHE should be teaching her child to self soothe at home. SHE is the one who chose to put her child in care, it is a commonly known thing... No surprises. She is not the exception to the rule.

I know, I am currently trying to think of somewhere else to put him but, I don't want to move his to my other ds's room as that is "his" space to get away from the kids if he wants. And I would put him in our bedroom but, he seemed terrified of it last week. I have since moved our bed and it's not as bad but, I don't feel he would sleep good in there! Maybe once ds starts kindy I can move him and it'll be better. I have left him in there with two toys to get him used to being alone. I will not get him out until 3 when I put ds in....my dc playroom flooded last weekend(along with my whole city) so I have no other place to be able to tell ds to go for alone time if he wants. Before this I would let him go downstairs as he is old enough.

[Cat Herder]

I know, I am currently trying to think of somewhere else to put him but, I don't want to move his to my other ds's room as that is "his" space to get away from the kids if he wants. And I would put him in our bedroom but, he seemed terrified of it last week. I have since moved our bed and it's not as bad but, I don't feel he would sleep good in there! Maybe once ds starts kindy I can move him and it'll be better. I have left him in there with two toys to get him used to being alone. I will not get him out until 3 when I put ds in....my dc playroom flooded last weekend(along with my whole city) so I have no other place to be able to tell ds to go for alone time if he wants. Before this I would let him go downstairs as he is old enough.

Oh, wow... See, all of my kids are in one (large) room all day long. They learn to nap that way as well. I am not allowed to have the kids in different rooms, much less a different floor. That would be nice some days.

I have, on occassion, moved the PNP to a quiet corner of the kitchen (attached to playroom, within sight) when they were really small so I could allow more "loud" block activities during AM nap for infants... hmm... Never an easy answer.

I do know that music, a box fan and a gentle nap scent are winners. Maybe a mirror close to crib so he does not feel isolated?

Edit: Oh, and bonus... since I made the swap to those folding metal safety cribs the infants enjoy watching the activities in the room until they fall asleep. It has been blissful... I guess because they have a better view (higher and less obstructed) and feel more involved.