Problem Solving Tip: What Has Changed?

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Is your baby’s schedule off? Is baby not sleeping well anymore? Is your toddler having major meltdowns? Try this simple problem solving tip to fix it.

Baby with a light bulb above the head

Things were going great. You had napping down, eating down, behavior down, etc. Life was fabulous.

Now, your child is waking early from every nap. Or your child is throwing a tantrum at every turn. What went wrong!?!?!

One of the first things I try to figure out when something like this happens is what is different.

What has changed?

This is Why You Should Track Your Baby’s Schedule. You need to know what things were so you can figure out what has changed.

When people come to me seeking help when things were good and are no longer good, one of the first things I try to figure out is typically if anything has has changed in the schedule or daily life.

Is baby's schedule off? Pinnable image

Changes to Consider

If your little one is having some sleeping issues, what has changed?

Is the weather colder? Warmer? Have things been noisier at home? Is the sun rising earlier? Is exercise your child is getting more or less? Is baby sick? Are there new teeth? Have new foods been introduced? Are new skills being developed? Is the stimulation level different?

How are things today different from how they were when sleep was good?

>>>Need help tracking things? Check out my Babywise Mom Book of Logs

For the “sudden” tantrums, I do the same thing.

What has changed in the child’s life?

Are naps consistent? Is independent playtime in place? Is bedtime consistent? Have the days been more stimulating?

I remember one time going through this with Kaitlyn as a 3 year old. She suddenly started being whiney and really emotional.

Whenever I think the word “suddenly,” I remember the phrase from one of the -wise books that essentially says there is no such thing as all of a sudden behavior.

So I thought, what is different?

Well, she had recently turned three. Is there something with girls and age three that turns them emotional? Age is always a consideration.

There are certain ages and stages that bring out certain behaviors. But this was so drastic I didn’t think I could really blame it on a developmental thing.

It wasn’t teeth. She had all of those in.

It wasn’t sickness. She had a mild cold, and that can make you cranky, but she has had much worse and been much better.

What about our daily schedule…

Aaahhh.

The weather had been really nice. This had led to less independent play, later naps, and later bedtimes.

Plus, we had lots of visiting family.

Plus, Kaitlyn went and stayed with her Grandma for a couple of days with no naps…

There was my answer.

It was her lack of routine.

Kaitlyn did well for a day or two off her routine, but she couldn’t be late for naps, missing naps, late for bed, and absent for independent play consistently without backlash. Obviously.

So it was time to get super consistent with her sleep and independent play.

We’d had our fun, and I knew the weather will overall be nice for at least 6 months. It was time to get disciplined with our daily schedule again.

We went back to our real schedule and then Kaitlyn turned back into my sweetie.

How to figure out the reason your toddler is suddenly having tantrums pinnable image

What if Nothing Changed?

If you have gone through your life and nothing has changed that you can tell, the four best things to consider are growth spurt, sickness, pain, and developmental milestones.

Those are all things that in reality will have changed, but they are things that are initially hard to “see” that have changed or are changing.

Is your little one hungry? Constant hunger can interfere with sleep and obedience or disposition.

Read: Baby Growth Spurts: Everything You Need to Know

See if your little one could be sick. Is there a temperature? Do the ears seem to be troublesome? Is there an upset tummy?

If it is a time for a developmental leap, you might be going through a Wonder week period. Some very common times for sleep regressions is the 19 week old range, 5-8 month old range, and the 2 year old range.

Conclusion

When things “suddenly” go wrong, take a look at your life.

What has changed?

What changed in your schedule, the climate, or in your child.

Therein lies your answer.

Try getting things back the way they were before things went wrong before you start messing with nap times, waketime lengths, and discipline methods.

It is a simple fix and often very effective to simply return to the way things were before they went wrong.

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