Where can I get a cheap family skiing holiday?

Toddler was a great sleeper now a screaming, crying child help we go on holiday thurs!?

• Hi my little boy was a great sleeper, he would do 7.30-7.30 every night, sometimes more but the last couple of weeks he has had odd waking up spells (he is now 20 months) and it is building into a problem. I thought it may have been because he would not sleep during his afternoon naps but today he napped and it's bad. To give you an example he woke the night before last at 4am and we ended up with him in our bed - once you open his door he just has to get up or he gets so distressed he can hardly breath, he actually jumped out of his cot (first time) when I tried to settle him - so he came into our bed. Last night we tried to resist that and at 4am he started again so we left him he cried in his room until 5am then started again at 6.30am. My mum had a problem with me at a similar age and after trying lots of stuff the doctor said to her basically make sure the room is as safe as poss - no plastic bags, cover plug sockets etc and leave me to my oen devises. Is that a good way to do it? Sleeping on the floor in his room does not work once you enter his room he has to get up and him sleeping in our bed is only going to create more issues, I know that. But am I going down the right route? Is there anything I can do while we go away - we go skiing sat for 12 nights and 3 of those we are all sharing a room! I need my sleep! We have tried calpol but it's only a last resort. He has been screaming for 30 mins now. How long do you think this will last? Should I turn his cotbed into a bed when we get back from holiday - would that help?

• Answer:

  My son (2 years ) started this at about 23 months. He started being difficult to put down at night as well as waking in the night and then getting up earlier than usual. He was also a great sleeper and then it all of a sudden changed. We went thru the sleepless nights for a while, till we finally just decided to let him cry it out. He got over it after a couple of nights and now if he wakes, he generally goes back to sleep immediately. We don't go in his room at all unless he's SCREAMING. I'm still trying to figure out how to make the bedtime thing better. He used to be so easy but now he refuses to fall asleep no matter how relaxed or how long we stay with him. I'm pretty much to the point of saying, we're going to have to let him cry it out on this one too. And lastly, he is waking at 6 AM every freaking morning now! Wide awake. We've ordered an "alarm clock" that is supposed to teach them to stay quiet in their beds longer. We'll see. I do think this is a common stage at this age. They are going through so much, learning so much. Have growth spurts and possible separation anxiety too. Just do what you feel comfortable with. Some days I'm "stronger" than others and some days I do just give in and take him to bed with us. I mean, afteralll, they will only be this small once!