waking toddler while sleeping....?

Reading your posts ladies I count myself VERY lucky!!

The camping cot, blanky and stuffed toy goes everywhere we go! If we happen to be by friends at naptime I just put LG down and she'll sleep! No problem sleeping anywhere (probably cos we were always social ppl and she went all over with us!!) Same goes with evening outings. If we by friends I just excuse myself and sort LG out. Some friends I bath her at other times I just feed her at her normal bedtime and lie her down. She sleeps through almost anything (noise, talking, music) so I have very little problem with her. Doesnt matter what time we leave either, be it 10pm, 11pm or even 1am. I just take her out the cot into her carseat and most of the times she does not even wake up! If she wakes up she's asleep again by the time we get home. Then its just a question of transferring her to her own cot.

But I'm probably one of the luckier mommies!

Ja, it's a toughie. I sometimes wish I had dragged Aran out with us everywhere, but somehow I don't think it would have made a difference and I was quite willing to put my social life on the back burner for a while. I think it's ok to skip the naps for special occasions, but then I put Aran down and hour earlier to avoid meltdown. He's also come out to special outings late at night (up to 9pm) and wouldnt you know it, he is still up at 6.30am!!

Gloeiwurmpie, I have the same issues with my LG. And you're dead right - the people who seem to complain the most are the ones with kids.

As time has gone by (Erin will be 2 in August), I have become more flexible in this regard. But it's a slow process, and one that needs to take into account how each child adjusts. Eg now I'm at a stage where if we are out with Erin after 5pm, that's it. We will stay put, give her supper, bath her, give her a last bottle and leave at 19h30 or thereabouts (her normal sleep time) and she will fall asleep in the car - which she also doesn't do under normal circumstances. I find it helps then that I tell her she can sleep in the car, adjust the seat into a sleeping position and sing her special night-time lullaby to her on the way. She would never fall asleep like this when she was younger, also only needed her own bed.

My worst is when people invite you out for 18h30 or 19h00 and tell you to bring baby along. Like, helloooo... What's a baby doing out on the town that late? I only comply for very very special occasions, eg my gran's 80th birthday.

Well, believe it or not, the most people who get iritated are people with children! They wake their kids whenever they need to go somewhere or skip daysleeps. They persued the strategy of kids must fit into your routine, even if they are stuck with a difficult child afterwards....so, it's a bit akward.

Thanks for the replies.

Gloeiwurmpie - I have the EXACT same issue with my LB. Will not sleep anywhere else, even if we take all the paraphernalia with (blanket, sleep-suit, dummy, stufffed toy, milk) ….and I will almost never wake him from a nap cos he gets so grumpy. The only exception is if he is still sleeping after 5pm, because then bedtime get's pushed out too late for my liking.
I think if people really want you to join them, they will understand. i have friends with toddlers who I usually expect 1 hour late, and I understand, that's how life is with small children ….

Angie wrote:

What I sometimes do, is when we have an appointment that we have to be at, at a certain time, I pick LB up and just put him in his car seat - I must say he is quite a deep sleeper and does not wake easily - so I am not saying that this would work for you!

I have also done this in the past and it does help a bit but the sleep is still interrupted and the repercussions are often just the same.

If J is napping around the time that we have to go out we just call and let them know we are going to be running late and leave after he wakes up.

I dont think its fair to wake him when he is napping. I know that when someone wakes me up (like DH or screaming baba) I get a little edgy, so I prefer it if he wakes naturally.

He also doesnt like sleeping anywhere besides his cot, so if we take him out and he needs to nap he will fight it until we are blue in the face and he can be left to play and become overtired.