2-Year-old Won't Stay in Bed

It is a common behavior. New found freedom. However, the only way to correct it is to not reward it with any attention, good or bad. It's the same process as sleep training an infant...just tougher because they are bigger and louder.

The easiest thing to do is to shut yourself away as to remove the motivation. You can put a lock on his door so he can't get out but it'll be painful for you and for him. For me, I moved the rocker into his room and just stayed with him until he fell asleep and gradually shortened the time. It took a while but it was better than the screaming.

Good luck!

I would sit in the room with him until he falls asleep. If you are sitting right there and he gets out of bed, you can put him right back without too much trouble.

If being in the bed (rather than the crib) is new for him, it's going to take a few days of the new routine for it to become routine to him. If you sit there and put him back to bed immediately, it won't be long before he gets the message.

It's absolutely worth it to take the time to do this for him. It might take a few days for him to understand the new routine, but to do it without tears is fabulous. He will know you are still there for him, even at night, and you will soon have a much easier bedtime routine.

If I am getting this right, you're putting the kids in bed by 7 something? Then wanting to pack lunches and stuff and have "me" time? That's way too early for kiddo's to go to bed.

He's staying up too late of course at 10pm but maybe he's going down way too early otherwise. If he's just laying there and getting bored for hours you are going to have to decide what is more important for you I guess.

I went through and read some of your previous questions. It truly sounds like your husband is sitting there allowing you to work your hiney off and he's doing nothing.

Tell him that you're going to bed and that he needs to manage the kids for bedtime. If they truly only listen to him as you posted earlier this year then he needs to take that boy to bed and make him stay in bed. I had a hard time with my grandson and hubby went right in and started putting him to bed and he minded him. Therefore no problems with kiddo getting out of bed.

If hubby decides he's too good to manage this ask him who he'd like to hire to be their father for a few weeks so you can have an equal partner in this home.

What does he want to do when he gets out of bed? Play with toys? Lock the toys away where he can't get them. Watch TV? Unplug the TV. Interact with you? Ignore him. Tell him "Fine. Don't go to bed. You have no toys, no TV and no one to talk to. Knock yourself out. I'm going to bed. Goodnight." Maybe he will decide that it isn't worth it to stay up.

You have to just keep bringing him back to bed without engaging him at all. Don't talk to him, hug him, etc. Quietly take his hand, walk him back to bed and tuck him in. Say I Love You and walk out of the room.

Also, consider buying a stoplight alarm clock. You set the time (say 7:00 a.m.) and when you turn it on, the red light comes on. At 7:00, the light will switch from red to green. Teach him that, when the light is red, he cannot leave his room. He's old enough to understand - my daughter got one shortly after she turned two and it works well. http://www.amazon.com/Stoplight-Sleep-Enhancing-Alarm-Spo...

Finally, if he's not napping, implement a daily quiet time. Again use the alarm clock. He has to stay in his room and play/read quietly by himself until the light turns green. Start small (15 minutes or so) and gradually increase to about an hour.

You are not alone! I have a nearly 3 year-old who does the same thing! I had some success with star charts to motivate staying in bed ( ie so many stars equal a prize) but this hasn't consistently helped. I also have had some luck with promising "special time" in the morning with mom if she stays in bed ( since attention is really what she craves with a little sister who needs my attention constantly). But in the end the most successful strategy has been allowing her to sleep in one if her sisters rooms. She wants to be with someone, and knowing the rule is if you make noise or get up you have to go to your own room seems to work like a charm. I really think it is all about digging deep to find out what motivates them. Good luck!

Is your home laid out so you can make his part of the house completely dark? Especially if you are down stairs. Only have the light on on the room you are working in, Keep your conversations quiet, turn the TV or music down..

Can you put a gate at the top of the stairs so he cannot go down them?

Can you stack 2 gates on top of each other in his bedroom doorway? Make sure the hallway and bathroom and all bedroom lights are off.

Putting a hook lock on the outside of his bedroom door could be for his safety, You do not want him to come out of his room and fall down the stairs searching for you..

A 2 year old in a darkened home with his parents asleep could lead to problems.

Other than this, just quietly walking him back, do not engage him, try not to even look at him. to his room every time, not sure what else can be done.