My DD has pretty much always been a really good sleeper (once we got past that difficult newborn stage). She loves to sleep! (she's just like her Mommy in that way)
But here lately she just wants to lie in bed talking, singing, and playing for an hour or two instead of going to sleep. I've shortened her nap time, and moved it back a little earlier, thinking that would help. She will sometimes cry, and I'll go in and sit in the rocking chair and hold her for a little while, but then she's back to playing again.
Finally, last night, she was fussing because she knocked her Aquarium Wonders sound and lights machine halfway off due to kicking it. I went in a scolded her about playing so much, and for some reason she wanted me to sit in the rocking chair but not hold her. Well, that ended up being the perfect solution. I sat there, and whenever she started talking, playing, or sitting up, I told her to lie down and go to sleep. It only took a couple of times for her to settle down. She tossed a little bit, but she quit talking and being wound up, and fell asleep pretty quickly.
I quickly decided this was an excellent approach, and I would keep it up each night as long as I need to. :-) I'm so happy to have found this solution. She gets herself so wound up, but once I got her to be still, she settled down very quickly.
Tonight she's doing pretty well so far. I haven't even had to go in there yet. Yay!! :-) I love when the Lord reveals something to me that I have been asking wisdom for. It excites me so much!! God is so good to always take care of us. :D