Everyone does better when they get the sleep they need. But, for some reason, kids are notorious for fighting it. Most children will go through a patch (or seven) where they resist sleep and it can be exhausting for everyone. Toddlers are pretty creative too. The minute it’s time for bed, they enjoy coming up with all sorts of extremely important tasks that have to be attended to immediately. Whether it’s a drink of water, a fire engine that must be found or a story that must be told, they can find a thousand reasons to put sleep off. For some children, they just want to be with us for as long as possible.
There is also plenty going on for little people between the ages of two and four. They may now be in a preschool setting during the day where they are learning to play with others, developing their imagination and taking big steps towards autonomy. This can lead to some very big feelings – particularly feelings of separation from their primary caregiver – which can all add up and spill over at bedtime.