Me and my husband have a 3-year-old son. He always had a little bit of trouble going to sleep, but in the last 3 or 4 months it has become nightmarish. I do not like who I am when I get to the point of being so frusterated I cry. My husband's method is just to baby him for a little bit and then yell at him because he gets so frusterated too... I do not like that! I don't want to yell or scream or have to have arguements with a 3-year-old who cannot begin to comprehend what we're going through.
We have a set bed time routine that starts at 730 with him including dinner, playing afterwards, bath, teeth, reading, potty, praying and then we both tuck him in. Within 2 or 3 minutes of us walking out of that room he will be getting right back up and stating that he wants to play or read or have us sleep with him. He gets bolder the more time we put him to bed, telling us "NO" when we tell him it's time for bed and sleep. I tell him he needs his sleep to grow, that I will snuggle with him after he's laid there on his own for a while, even telling him if he gets up again he will not get his toys back. He is so resistant after the 4th or 6th time that he is tired, he knows he's tired but will start to get aggressive. I sometimes swat his bottom when I am at my end of the rope, but he gets so angry as well and hits me back! I am all out of ideas. He is a very smart and bright boy and plays and is very active during the day. I just want to figure out what's going on with him.
How I can help to help him achieve a better nights sleep?