Mom Needs Help with Bedtime

I don't think is a good idea to lock his bedroom door, it really sounds cruel A.. I also have a son, he is now 3 years old, and I have a routine going on. I don't think is never to late to start it, but let me alert you is an ongoing battle/process. I give him a night bath, read a book, and put him in his toddler bed (since he is 3 now). He will get up maybe two times rigght after I put him to sleep. Both times, he just opens the door and goes to his sister's room. I tell him, it is time to sleep, look the moon is saying hello! and I point the moon to him. The 2nd time and have a firmer tone and mention that we are all tired and it is time to go sleep. I usually start my routine about 7:30 pm and I can say he is out about 8pm. It is not easy A., but you can't give up. The key is to be consistant. This is what works for us. Good Luck!

I watch supernanny too, because she has really useful tips on how to raise a child. I have BIG problems with my son sleeping in his own room. He'll be 3 in march, and he still sleeps on the floor on a mattress in my room. LOL Me and my husband have NO privacy what so ever, but I don't have the energy to fight with him to go to bed. I guess he'll never know unless, I try. We bought him a Twin toddler race car bed, and HE NEVER SLEPT IN IT ONCE! We've had it for 4 months now, and before that he had a plain white toddler bed. I'm gonna enforce him sleeping on his own bed soon, but right now, I'm just exhausted. Its hard raising a toddler!!

We just started this process with my son two days ago the first day/night was horrible it took him about two hours each time to fall asleep. he is a baby who took 2 naps one at 9 am for 1 hour and one at 12:30 pm and woke up at 2:30,and then bed time was at 8pm.So what we did was eliminated his 9 am nap so after lunch he was sleeping and we did put a baby gate up so that it allowed us to close the door but it wouldn't shut all the way because the foot bar was there.so anyway when he got up for his nap he played a bit and we did our daily things by 8 pm he was so tired he went right down. we did take his toys out of his room and baby proofed it because i wanted to hear him when he got up.hope this help. so far for us it is going good but like i said we have only done it for 2 day so anything can happen from day to day.

kimmy

i know it's frustrating, but please don't lock him in his room.
it really will do more harm than good. you can actually put a fear in him to stay in his room by himself.
my son started climbing out of his bed at 2 as well. my first reaction was to go buy a bed as well, but he loved sleeping in his crib. so everytime he climbed out i put him back in. it took about 3 days but it worked and he's still in his crib. he gets out when he wakes up but he stays in for his nap and all thru the night. i think the excitment of being able to climb out will wear off if you don't make a huge deal. just be consistent and explain to him that when he sleeps he needs to stay in his crib. i also put a pillow and toddler blanket to make it more like a bed.
best of luck & god bless!

get a door gate. so that you don't have to lock the door, he will still open it but won't be able to go anywhere. make sure you stick to one schedule and not give in because once you do he will get confused as to what is he supposed to do. i hear my girls now with door open (they're 30 months) but there is a gate and they won't go anywhere. i have a baby monitor with me at all times so i hear if something is happening. other that that they do this every night play around and when they get tired they'll go under covers in their toddler beds and sleep
good luck
V.

ok-- i do not kwo if this will hlp-- but i was watching supernanny 2 nights ago and she said -- if you oput them to bed then sit in the same room-on the floor--head down not moving-- for as long as it takes-- everytime they get up=-- say onothing -- do not loook them in the eyes look at then on the tummy or at the bridge of their nose-- and pick them up and put them back to bed-keep doing it opver and over and when you put them back in bed go back to your spot and sit motionless with your chin to your chest-- not saying a word.like a statue- it amy take a few nights but they will realize that that is where they belong-- it worked on the show. maybe it will work for you-- it is worth a try-- but it is a tiring effort on your part. hope you try it an di hope it works.

Put him in bed and sit in the middle of his room not making eye contact. Every time he gets out, just put him back in, remembering not to talk to him, or make any eye contact. Just keep doing it, and eventually he will give up and realize that he will not get his way. He will go to sleep, I promise. The only thing is that you need to be patient, just keep in mind that it may take some time.

Hi A.,

I'm a SAHM mom of twin boys, age 4, and a daughter, 15 months. Have you ever watched Super Nanny on TV? She also has a very practical book out now that teaches her techniques.

We had a terrible time with our boys once they were out of their cribs. We use the "stay-in-bed" technique and it works well. If you haven't seen it done, it simply employs your patience and consistency in putting your boy back in his bed in silence until he learns that you're not going to give in. The first night takes the longest and after that it takes less and less time for him to stay.

Hope that helps!

S.

Is he tired when you put him to bed? I know if my little guy, 28mo isn't ready for bed it is a lost battle to get him to go. I let him stay up a bit longer then try again.

What about taking him w/you to pick out the bed and sheets/pillow etc and make a really big deal out of it. "your such a big boy now and your getting your own big boy bed!"

Also some would say a bedtime routine works best, eat, bath, read, snuggle etc.

I or one of my sons siblings usually lay down with him until he is out. He has his own bed but usually co-sleeps with someone in the house, lol.

I am still waiting for the day I just say look it's bed time and he just goes, lol I know one day he will do it. So for now I have to close the door and go down w/him.

Good luck cause I'm right there w/you!

I agree w/ many (most) of the pp (previous posters)

YOU are the Mommy! You are the BOSS!
So if you want him back in the crib, you put him back in.

Personaly I'd wait as long as possible before getting a bed (& no need to get a 'toddler' bed- use the crib mattress (or maybe that's what people mean as a toddler bed? anyway...)...

HTH
L.

I have the (temporary rule) that she can have whatever she wants if she asks... this is to teach her crying and scraming iwill not get her anything... but if she calls me in to say "mommy i want a tissue..." i will get it for her. it is not overly abused so far... my other rule is if she is good, i will keep coming in every few minutes and give her kisses and say goo dnight again.. then 5 minutes later do it again.. then again.. soon she will be asleep. this is rewarding her for being quiet. when she is ok with that.. postpone the kisses, soon she will go quickly and quietly becuase that is normal for her.. well it worked for me... i ahve a crib taht you take the sides off to to turn into a toddler bed. i one side off right now, so its like a daybed. i tell her not to get out of bed.. if she does (happneded last night) i put the 4th rail up. but she doesnt climb out. She will go thru 2or 3 weeks going down no problem.. then a week of being difficult. Hope this helps!

Hi A.,

Here's the deal. I just went through this and what I learned was you have to be okay with him falling asleep on the floor by the door. But stand your ground, he will soon learn that he should sleep in his bed because either way when bed time comes he's going in his room. You are the mom, you are the boss, you set the rules. Be strong for a few days and he will break down and believe you when you tell him goodnight and leave the room. The worst thing you can do is give in to him. Then he becomes the boss. He is going to push until you push back and show him that he isn't the boss. It's a totally natural reaction for any child to push until boundaries are set. You are doing a GOOD thing for him and yourself to stand your ground. It's tough to do it but you will feel so good if you do. Trust me, I was petrified when my daughter started getting out of her crib. But now, she stays in her room and sleeps in her bed.

Hope this helps,

A.

I an not sure if your child is too small to understand but at 2 I introduced my child to the sleep fairy.... each day she stayed in her bed the sleep fairy would get her something under her pillow...( a lolly pop, a little something from the dollar store, clothes she needed...) if and only if she stayed in bed.
If he is too young try staying in the room while you read a story (very softly and not too animated to relax him)I am currently trining my 21 month to stay in her bed... I first pray... we thank for EVErythingNSO THE PRAYER IS LONG ENNOUGH TO WIND HER DOWN =-)

Well, my response has been mentioned already, but I will reitterate. I wholeheartedly agree that locking the door is not the best solution. Your child needs to know that you are there and he must stay in his room at bedtime. Get a gate so that you can leave the door open and he can call you if necessary and use a monitor.
If there is risk of injury, you don't want him climbing in and out of the crib, but he needs to know that you mean business. If your crib converts, do that, or go ahead and put him in the toddler bed. We did, around 2 and it was battle of the wills (my older is very spirited also), but eventually, he understood that you do not get out of the bed. I told him that he has to stay in his bed until it gets light out. You have to be firm and consistant. It is very hard to do, I know, but necessary. It may take weeks, so don't be discouraged. Just be consistant. good luck.

Well, I am not sure if you have seen the show Super Nanny but she has some really good tips for bedtime. The first one is to sit on the bedroom floor with your child in his bed. Do not look at him, talk to him or anything. If he gets out of his bed just pick him, without looking him in the eye or speaking to him, and put him back in his bed. Keep doing this for as long as he keeps getting up. He will eventually give up and stay in the bed. Once he is staying in the bed you can gradually start moving out of the room a little at a time. Before you know it he is sleeping in his bed without you needing to "watch over him". The second is to put him in his bed and leave the room. Everytime he comes out of his room you, without speaking to him, put him back to bed and leave the room again. Keep this up until he stays in bed. Eventually he will give up and stay there. You just have to keep up with it without caving and giving in to him. He has to know that you are the boss and bedtime is bedtime, not play time. Just have faith in yourself and you will do fine.