If bedtime suddenly feels like a nightly showdown complete with stalling, negotiations, and a level of Jumanji— you’re not alone. Toddlers fighting bedtime is incredibly common in January, and no, it’s not because you “lost control over the holidays.”
As a mom of four and someone who ran a daycare for 13 years, I can tell you this: January bedtime behavior is predictable.
Why Toddlers Fighting Bedtime Gets Worse After the Holidays
First of all, can we talk about the holidays? Raise your hand if you remember when Halloween was one night of the year? I do!
We looked forward to that ONE NIGHT all year long. And then it was over.
In today's culture, Halloween is a month-long celebration commencing on October 1, with what seems like trunk-or-treats at every turn. Every weekend is Halloween! Organizations near and far are staging trunk-or-treats, and it seems like anyone with a postage stamp of farmland is turning their farm into a Fall activity destination.
It's fun. It's festive. It's exhausting!
Then we roll into November, a seemingly calm month where Thanksgiving is the focus. Or at least is used to be. But now it feels like Christmas starts on November 1 and the turkey is cast aside in favor of elaborate elf shenanigans, holiday light displays, drive-throughs and again, that farmland has somehow morphed into a for-profit winter wonderland. And we are there for all of it.
No judgement. I'm a sucker for anything with lights, personally.
But let's consider how overstimulating that can be for tiny humans. And some of them have been keeping this holiday pace since October 1.
No wonder our kids are delirious by January.
During the holidays, routines loosen (because… life). Later nights, skipped naps, travel, excitement—all of it adds up.
By January, many toddlers are:
- Overtired but under-regulated
- Used to extra attention at bedtime
- Struggling with inconsistent schedules
That combination is a perfect storm for toddlers fighting bedtime.
It’s Not Defiance—It’s Dysregulation
This is important: when your toddler fights bedtime it is rarely about being “bad” or “manipulative.” It’s usually a child who:
- Can’t shut their body down
- Is wired from the day
- Doesn’t have enough sleep pressure
I saw this every year in my daycare classrooms—kids who were angels all day suddenly unraveling at nap or bedtime.
What Actually Helps When a Toddler Is Fighting Bedtime
To reduce the chance of your toddler fighting bedtime, focus on the basics before changing your response:
- Consistent wake time (even after rough nights)
- Age-appropriate naps (too much daytime sleep matters)
- Enough awake time before bed
- A calm, predictable bedtime routine
Boundaries still matter—but boundaries work best when the schedule supports them. With a lot of patience, love and limits can co-exist.
When to Zoom Out
If your toddler's bedtime has become a nightly battle, it’s often a sign the overall sleep schedule needs a reset—especially in January.
If you’re considering sleep training in January, start with the foundation first. When the day is aligned, bedtime resistance usually fades fast.
And if bedtime feels harder than it “should” right now? That’s January. Not failure.
If you are struggling with your toddler fighting bedtime, and you need a little guidance to give your direction, book a 30-minute Ask-Me-Anything Call with me. You'll get clear answers and actionable steps to get bedtime back on track tonight, without a big commitment.
Getting your tiny human's sleep back on track is a reset for your whole family after the seemingly never-ending holiday season.
Book your call here: Ask-Me-Anything Cal Booking Link
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