I asked him to close his eyes and sleep, but he said, “I can’t see mamma with my eyes closed. I can only see mamma when my eyes are open.”

I can only see mamma when my eyes are open.” When a toddler’s imagination and love for connection meet the peak of sleep regression, bedtime becomes a challenge. Explore the signs of the 2–3 year sleep regression, why it happens, and 7 compassionate strategies—from managing overtiredness to staying patient—to help both you and your child navigate this exhausting but fleeting phase.