Toddler Wont Sleep Alone? - Tempe,AZ

It's normal for kids' sleep patterns to change. She might have been scared by something that is giving her nighttime anxiety now. By reassuring her you will help her to feel safe and comfortable in her room again. Stand next to her bed, hold her hand, rub her feet/back etc. I also would play white noise or lullaby music if you currently don't. Does she have a nightlight? Maybe one of those pillow pet lights. Maybe get one of those microwavable toys with lavender scent in them. Try to make bedtime as soothing and relaxing as possible. After a few nights when her anxiety seems to lessen I would tell her that you will be right back, and leave the room for a few minutes. Make sure to come back though, this will reinforce to her that you are near. Each night make the time that you leave longer and after a while you will be able to leave her room after laying her down.

My 2 year old recently rediscovered his light up seahorse toy that plays 5 mins of soft music (kind of like a Glow worm). Even if he doesn't go to sleep right away (which he rarely does), he will lay there and listen to the music until he falls asleep, sometimes for up to an hour. It keeps him in bed and is something he can control, if he wants it on then he can turn it on, if he wants it off, then he can turn it off. The only reason I've had to go back in after tucking him in is if "Seahorsey" has fallen off the bed or been lost in the covers. Maybe let her pick out a toy like this to keep her company until she falls asleep? We also have a Leapfrog Dog Scout dog that plays bedtime music, I like the seahorse better as Dog Scout has lots of other buttons that will make him play upbeat music or talk and he can be more distracting. This is what we have, I think it also comes in pink.
http://www.walgreens.com/store/c/fisher-price-soothe-%26-...

It's funny that someone mentioned relocating a night light. My kids got to the point where they would ask me to turn OFF lights... because they didn't like them. We never used nightlights, so they were accustomed to being asleep in a dark room. My one child used to ask me to close her door. And these days, she comes out and turns off lamps in the family room if they cast too much light towards her bedroom door.

Do you have too much light maybe? Shadows can be scary.

My 3yo daughter goes through periods where she can't fall asleep alone either. Because my husband works nights, it is no problem to take her to bed with me, or for me to lay In Bed with her. (She currently has a full size mattress, but when she was in her toddler bed from about 18m up I would sit next to the edge and lay my head on her pillow.)

Usually, after a couple nights she has worked through whatever was bothering her and goes right back to sleeping in her own bed.

If occasional co-sleeping is not possible/ something you are interested in, you might try figuring out the root of her problem... Does she need a different/relocated nightlight? (I have had to move my DDs nightlight a few times because it would cast weird shadows.) is she scared of something? (We also used to have to tell the "bears" in her room that it was time to quit playing and go to sleep. Doing this gave her authority over any imaginary spooks in her room, so she isn't scared any more.) Maybe she is in a growth spurt, and just needs her Mommy. There are a LOT of reasons for wakefulness in toddlers.

We went through this. We started laying in bed for 2 minutes then we work our way closer to the door each night. I actually sit on the floor so he can't see me and once I think he is asleep I crawl out. A few times he will call me back in but eventually it gets much better! Every now and then he comes to get us in the middle of the night. I walk him back to his room, he climbs in bed and I sit by the door again. He is usually out within minutes! We are also now trying to pile animals and blankets right next to him so it feels like we are there. I think he likes having something next to him.

Have you asked her why she feels she needs you there? Is it the dark? What exactly is she afraid of? Find out the fear and help her deal with it, whether it is a night light or a spray bottle of "closet monster repellent".