My 5-year-old used to go to bed pretty easily, but the last few weeks have turned bedtime into a stressful standoff every single night. She suddenly refuses to brush her teeth or put on pajamas, and then insists she’s not tired at all. I've tried sticking to our usual routine, reading her favorite stories, even giving her a little extra playtime before bed, but nothing seems to work.

It’s exhausting and honestly makes me dread the evenings. I want to be firm but gentle, and I’m worried this is turning into a power struggle neither of us wins. Has anyone else gone through this phase? What helped you get back to a peaceful bedtime without tears and tantrums?

On 01/05/2026 at 9:45 PM, PennySaver88 said:

My 5-year-old used to go to bed pretty easily, but the last few weeks have turned bedtime into a stressful standoff every single night. She suddenly refuses to brush her teeth or put on pajamas, and then insists she’s not tired at all. I've tried sticking to our usual routine, reading her favorite stories, even giving her a little extra playtime before bed, but nothing seems to work.

It’s exhausting and honestly makes me dread the evenings. I want to be firm but gentle, and I’m worried this is turning into a power struggle neither of us wins. Has anyone else gone through this phase? What helped you get back to a peaceful bedtime without tears and tantrums?

That sounds super frustrating, @PennySaver88. My kid went through a similar phase where bedtime suddenly became a battleground. What helped us was giving a tiny bit of control back to her - like letting her choose between two sets of pajamas or picking which toothbrush to use. It’s amazing how a small choice can make them feel more in charge and less resistant.

Also, sometimes kids just hit a phase where their internal clocks shift or they’re processing a lot emotionally, so pushing too hard can backfire. Maybe try a calm chat during the day about why bedtime is important, and reassure her it’s okay to feel not tired but still need rest. Hang in there, you’re definitely not alone in this!

On 01/05/2026 at 9:45 PM, PennySaver88 said:

My 5-year-old used to go to bed pretty easily, but the last few weeks have turned bedtime into a stressful standoff every single night. She suddenly refuses to brush her teeth or put on pajamas, and then insists she’s not tired at all. I've tried sticking to our usual routine, reading her favorite stories, even giving her a little extra playtime before bed, but nothing seems to work.

It’s exhausting and honestly makes me dread the evenings. I want to be firm but gentle, and I’m worried this is turning into a power struggle neither of us wins. Has anyone else gone through this phase? What helped you get back to a peaceful bedtime without tears and tantrums?

That sounds really tough, @PennySaver88. My kid went through a similar phase where bedtime suddenly felt like a negotiation marathon. What helped us was giving a little more control back to her - like letting her pick which pajamas to wear or which story to read. Sometimes the fight is about feeling heard or having some choice, even in small things.

Also, I found that adding a very short “wind down” activity, like a quiet cuddle or soft music before brushing teeth, helped ease the transition. It’s exhausting, for sure, but those tiny shifts made a difference over time. Hang in there - you’re definitely not alone in this!

On 01/05/2026 at 9:45 PM, PennySaver88 said:

My 5-year-old used to go to bed pretty easily, but the last few weeks have turned bedtime into a stressful standoff every single night. She suddenly refuses to brush her teeth or put on pajamas, and then insists she’s not tired at all. I've tried sticking to our usual routine, reading her favorite stories, even giving her a little extra playtime before bed, but nothing seems to work.

It’s exhausting and honestly makes me dread the evenings. I want to be firm but gentle, and I’m worried this is turning into a power struggle neither of us wins. Has anyone else gone through this phase? What helped you get back to a peaceful bedtime without tears and tantrums?

That sounds really frustrating, and honestly, it’s so common for kids to push back like this as they test boundaries or go through little growth spurts. Sometimes mixing up the routine a bit helps - like letting her pick which pajamas to wear or turning toothbrushing into a silly game or race. It might give her a sense of control without derailing the whole bedtime process.

Also, have you noticed if anything else changed around the same time? Sometimes changes in daycare, a new sibling, or even just a big day can make kids resist bedtime. If you can catch those clues, it might help you tweak things gently. Hang in there - these phases can feel endless but usually pass with a little patience and creativity.

On 01/17/2026 at 4:00 AM, kara said:

On 01/05/2026 at 9:45 PM, PennySaver88 said:

My 5-year-old used to go to bed pretty easily, but the last few weeks have turned bedtime into a stressful standoff every single night. She suddenly refuses to brush her teeth or put on pajamas, and then insists she’s not tired at all. I've tried sticking to our usual routine, reading her favorite stories, even giving her a little extra playtime before bed, but nothing seems to work.

It’s exhausting and honestly makes me dread the evenings. I want to be firm but gentle, and I’m worried this is turning into a power struggle neither of us wins. Has anyone else gone through this phase? What helped you get back to a peaceful bedtime without tears and tantrums?

That sounds really frustrating, and honestly, it’s so common for kids to push back like this as they test boundaries or go through little growth spurts. Sometimes mixing up the routine a bit helps - like letting her pick which pajamas to wear or turning toothbrushing into a silly game or race. It might give her a sense of control without derailing the whole bedtime process.

Also, have you noticed if anything else changed around the same time? Sometimes changes in daycare, a new sibling, or even just a big day can make kids resist bedtime. If you can catch those clues, it might help you tweak things gently. Hang in there - these phases can feel endless but usually pass with a little patience and creativity.

That sudden shift sounds so draining - I’ve been there with my own kiddo. Sometimes, a little tweak in the routine helps, like letting them pick their pajamas or the storybook for the night. It gives them a sense of control without derailing the whole process. I also found that a calm, dimly lit environment about 30 minutes before bed helped signal “wind down” time, which made the transition smoother.

It’s great you’re trying to stay firm but gentle - power struggles are the worst. Maybe try acknowledging her feelings about not being tired before gently reminding her of the routine. Sometimes just feeling heard can ease the resistance. Hang in there; this phase usually passes faster than it feels like it will!