20 month old dealing with deployment - Kids Coping with Deployment

Brandy · 02-23-2009, 01:28 AM

This is our first deployment and am having a hard time with my 20 month old..His dad was the one that put him to bed every night and now that he is gone bed time has got really bad..he dont want to sleep in his bed..the only way that he will fall asleep is if he is laying with me holding my hand and has his face touching mine..if there is anyone that can give me some advice to make this transition alittle easier please do..I have just had enough I need sleep too..Thank You very much

MichelleB · 02-23-2009, 01:30 AM

If it's possible, have your husband record himself so he can listen to it at night. Maybe Dad reading a book or something.

ladygirl_86 · 02-23-2009, 01:33 AM

I have been having a hard time with my son also.. He is a little older than yours but still kinda the same problem. When DH leaves for a few days or something our little one just doesnt sleep very well. He wakes up almost every night at 3am when daddy isnt home. We have gotten now to where we put a couple toys in his bed with him and his favorite blanket. It seems to help. Does he have a favorite stuffed animal you could cuddle up with him in his bed?

Brandy · 02-23-2009, 09:35 AM

He does have a blanket that he sleeps with every night.

LaDonna · 02-23-2009, 10:44 AM

I got my daughter a "daddy-doll" I think you can get them at hugahero.com. It's a doll that has the daddy's picture on the front. Then we got one of the recordable boxes from build-a-bear and DH recorded a night-time message.... so anytime my DD hugged the daddy-doll she heard her daddy!

Just a thought.

But I'll say some prayers for you guys and send good vibes!

petsparkle · 02-23-2009, 10:52 AM

Originally Posted by LaDonna

I got my daughter a "daddy-doll" I think you can get them at hugahero.com. It's a doll that has the daddy's picture on the front. Then we got one of the recordable boxes from build-a-bear and DH recorded a night-time message.... so anytime my DD hugged the daddy-doll she heard her daddy!

Just a thought.

But I'll say some prayers for you guys and send good vibes!

I have one too. My DD got hers at 15 months. It made SUCH a difference. You can get the voice recorder through hugahero.com (we did). I know theirs can be recorded through the phone (I had to do that!). My DD does so much better with deployments because of her Daddy Doll. She sleeps with it and anytime she wants to hear Daddy, she just squeezes it and listens to him.

The Daddy Dolls from hugahero.com are different from home-made ones because their transfer process will not come off. They are washable, and they really are durable. They are made by military affiliated people (the company owners are two Marine wives). I've written about this company a few times, and I'm a huge fan! They do all the work too- you just send in a full length picture, they cut out the background, etc.

Brandy · 02-23-2009, 07:51 PM

Thank you so much for the response. I will defintaly have to get one of those.

Shep's Wife · 02-23-2009, 07:58 PM

We videotaped dh reading books, the kids loved watching those. Also having a lot of pictures especially ones that are theirs that they can carry around. Or even one next to their bed so they can say goodnight and stuff.

I also got my dd's daddy dolls from Ste, she sells them here on this site

http://militarysos.com/forum/showthread.php?t=274274

JustMrsJoann · 02-23-2009, 10:30 PM

I never thought of having a build a bear. I may have to talk to DH about that. Great idea

HunnyBunny · 02-25-2009, 08:21 PM

I had to put my daughter to sleep everynight as well, you just have to stick with it. A certain routine that you cannot break ever. I lay with my daughter who is 2 now, everynight we lay in her bed and she falls off to sleep. I just recently got her a cd player with songs that are very soothing with no words. So far it has worked like a charm! She just falls off to sleep. Even though the song twinkle twinkle is on with no words she sings along till she's asleep. It's working wonders right now. Just try something different. It's a very hard task, but you have to stick with it, be strong... there's nothing worse then hearing your little one cry

But he'll get into a new routine soon. But if you keep changing things then he'll think whats on for tonight! but if you stick with it even if he gets upset, he'll soon realize that when we lay down, we go to sleep. Try it because you deserve to go to sleep peacefully! It's terrible but it works. Be consistant!

02-23-2009, 01:28 AM	#1 (permalink)
Brandy Junior Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Fort hood, Texas Posts: 31 Blog Entries: 2 Classifieds: (0) Activity: 0% Longevity: 12%	20 month old dealing with deployment This is our first deployment and am having a hard time with my 20 month old..His dad was the one that put him to bed every night and now that he is gone bed time has got really bad..he dont want to sleep in his bed..the only way that he will fall asleep is if he is laying with me holding my hand and has his face touching mine..if there is anyone that can give me some advice to make this transition alittle easier please do..I have just had enough I need sleep too..Thank You very much

02-23-2009, 01:30 AM	#2 (permalink)
MichelleB With faith we can achieve all that we believe! Join Date: May 2005 Location: Virginia Beach, VA Posts: 16,362 Classifieds: (0) Activity: 1% Longevity: 77%	If it's possible, have your husband record himself so he can listen to it at night. Maybe Dad reading a book or something. __________________ Playing The Grocery Game since 7/12/2008 57% savings

02-23-2009, 10:44 AM	#5 (permalink)
LaDonna Veteran's Wife <---- this makes me sound so old! :( Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Raleigh, NC Posts: 2,728 Blog Entries: 1 Classifieds: (0) Activity: 3% Longevity: 17%	I got my daughter a "daddy-doll" I think you can get them at hugahero.com. It's a doll that has the daddy's picture on the front. Then we got one of the recordable boxes from build-a-bear and DH recorded a night-time message.... so anytime my DD hugged the daddy-doll she heard her daddy! Just a thought. But I'll say some prayers for you guys and send good vibes! __________________

02-23-2009, 10:30 PM	#9 (permalink)
JustMrsJoann hates the first trimester!! Join Date: May 2008 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 5,167 Blog Entries: 3 Classifieds: (2) Activity: 34% Longevity: 26%	I never thought of having a build a bear. I may have to talk to DH about that. Great idea __________________ Hoping for PINK!!

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02-23-2009, 01:33 AM	#3 (permalink)
ladygirl_86 I love my life! Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Belfair, Wa Posts: 603 Classifieds: (0) Activity: 31% Longevity: 24%	I have been having a hard time with my son also.. He is a little older than yours but still kinda the same problem. When DH leaves for a few days or something our little one just doesnt sleep very well. He wakes up almost every night at 3am when daddy isnt home. We have gotten now to where we put a couple toys in his bed with him and his favorite blanket. It seems to help. Does he have a favorite stuffed animal you could cuddle up with him in his bed?

02-23-2009, 09:35 AM	#4 (permalink)
Brandy Junior Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Fort hood, Texas Posts: 31 Blog Entries: 2 Classifieds: (0) Activity: 0% Longevity: 12%	He does have a blanket that he sleeps with every night.

02-23-2009, 07:51 PM	#7 (permalink)
Brandy Junior Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Fort hood, Texas Posts: 31 Blog Entries: 2 Classifieds: (0) Activity: 0% Longevity: 12%	Thank you so much for the response. I will defintaly have to get one of those.

02-23-2009, 07:58 PM	#8 (permalink)
Shep's Wife Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 7,921 Classifieds: (0) Activity: 6% Longevity: 62%	We videotaped dh reading books, the kids loved watching those. Also having a lot of pictures especially ones that are theirs that they can carry around. Or even one next to their bed so they can say goodnight and stuff. I also got my dd's daddy dolls from Ste, she sells them here on this site http://militarysos.com/forum/showthread.php?t=274274

02-25-2009, 08:21 PM	#10 (permalink)
HunnyBunny Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 315 Classifieds: (0) Activity: 0% Longevity: 32%	I had to put my daughter to sleep everynight as well, you just have to stick with it. A certain routine that you cannot break ever. I lay with my daughter who is 2 now, everynight we lay in her bed and she falls off to sleep. I just recently got her a cd player with songs that are very soothing with no words. So far it has worked like a charm! She just falls off to sleep. Even though the song twinkle twinkle is on with no words she sings along till she's asleep. It's working wonders right now. Just try something different. It's a very hard task, but you have to stick with it, be strong... there's nothing worse then hearing your little one cry But he'll get into a new routine soon. But if you keep changing things then he'll think whats on for tonight! but if you stick with it even if he gets upset, he'll soon realize that when we lay down, we go to sleep. Try it because you deserve to go to sleep peacefully! It's terrible but it works. Be consistant!