Ok my son is 2 and we thought we would make his baby bed in to a big boy bed. He was sleeping all night no problems nothing and now for the past month maybe 2 months he wakes up. Used to be he crying or freaking out but now he just wakes up gets out of bed and comes right into my room and comes in my bed. After running around with him all day and getting stuff done I'm beat . And I am thinking of putting him crib back together! How can I get him back to sleeping all night in his bed with out putting his crib back together? I'm at my end and have no idea . He never climbed out of his bed nothing I thought how easy it would be for him and to feel like a big boy. He started to potty-train but then back tracked no matter what I did to get him on the potty. What can I do that can get him on track with both? I did the reward game u sleep all night u got a sticker and same with go potty he got a sticker and a snack and if he did good all week he got a toy or something we never made it a full week with doing good so I don't know if someone else is or was in the same boat with me but please help!
When he gets out of bed, put him right back to bed and tell him it's time to go to sleep and stay in bed. Stay consistent and he'll learn. One of my children would climb out of his crib. We finally got him to stay in a big bed. It took consistency. He'll learn. With potty training, I used pennies and my son loved that! One penny for going #1 on the potty and 2 pennies for #2.
I say slow down a little on the changes and just decide what you want to focus on. I think potty training and bed changing is a lot for a little guy. If it were me I would focus on the bed bc if he needs to potty at night, he would need to be able to get out of bed, hypothetically. Of course you can table both, but I don't know how he would feel about going back to a crib, now that he has tasted freedom ;) You just have to keep walking him back to bed, as many time/nights as it takes. Make sure he understands he is supposed to stay in bed at night. Don't get engaged in talking/singing/back rubbing and all that. Take him by the hand, put him in bed, say goodnight, and get out of there!! He has to realize this is his new sleeping spot and we sleep all night. So that is what I would do. Once he is sleeping great and it is a non issue, then possible approach potty training, if he is ready. Good luck!! Two is still so young, you are doing great time wise, don't worry :D
When we switched my older one to a bed we kept the crib up in our room. If he gave us a hard time at night he went in the crib. He loved the new bed so it worked in about 2 weeks and after a month the crib was taken apart. If you only have a convertible bed this may not work though. We will see how it goes with the second kid soon (she is 2 now).
We started the re potty-training and hes doing good with it started today! Bit still he just gets up and comes in my bed tells me to move over and that its his side of the bed.. I feel good about doing what I am with him! I wish I could tell Austin nope u can't come in my bed and walk him back to his room but after 10min 20min of this I feel so bad and I want to cry so I give up :(
Hi Becky!
Firstly, and you may have already realized this from the answers, you're not alone. Every parent has told me that their child has done this when switched into a bed, so don't worry.
We went through something similar with our daughter recently when she was 32 months. We switched her from her crib into a double bed when we moved into our new home. For the first month, she did great. Then she started to wake up in the middle of the night--first once a week, then twice, then it started to become every night.
I would always take her back to her bed, lie down with her until she fell asleep, but I knew I couldn't keep doing this--so I wrote into Mamapedia and asked my friends for advice. In the end, b/c she was older, too, I told her that she had to stay in her room and if she could not, we might have to put a gate on her door.
I also put a nightlight in her room, which I think was the answer. Ever since putting that in and having that conversation, she has stayed in her bed. I also rewarded every day for that first week that she stayed in her room, so she knew she was doing something great.
If you want him to switch to a bed, then I would not return him to the crib--I think that would send the wrong message maybe? But as others have mentioned, I'd work on one thing--either the potty training or the bed--not both at the same time.
The key is to be gentle, but firm. One other option is to put a mattress in your room for him to sleep on, but that is also opening up another can of worms :)
Good luck and hope you find something that works soon. There are tons of answers on Mamapedia related to this as well if you have time to search through them.
Take care!
Our kids never really slept in their crib, so I haven't experienced this exact transition. But I have heard that some kids feel safe in their cribs and talk a little longer to feel safe in a big kid bed.
My guess is you don't want to put the crib back up, because that would just confuse him and you would have to transition again later. Also, if he's used to the big boy bed when you decide to address potty training again, you won't have to worry about him needing to use the potty in the middle of the night.
My boys begin the night in their own bed every night. We've found we all get a better night's sleep if upon waking, we just let them climb into our bed. We all go right back to sleep 90% of the time. Occasionally we do get kicked, but it's totally worth it.
With our now 5 year old, there were times we thought he would never stop coming to our bed, but when he was about 2 1/2 he decided that big boys sleep in their own bed. He does occasionally come in to our bed after a bad dream, but he really does sleep in his own bed now. It does get better!
Kiwimama1 just asked a similar question, please see my response to her. Good luck!
Hi Becky,
I guess I have to disagree with Jen when she says to slow down on making changes.
Not a personal disagreement, but a developmental one. At 2 years, children are changing very quickly, and can easily handle a different bed AND potty training AND whatever else you can throw at them :)
I want to encourage you to stay calm through these changes, though, so you don't end up with a kid throwing night-time tantrums or regressing in potty training.
Here's my advice, for what it's worth:
I have 2 boys (now 6 and 4). The first thing they both wanted to do when we switched from the crib to the toddler bed, was get up on their own. During naps, I decided to "hang-out" quietly outside their bedroom door and listen for them getting up. The second I heard them, I would calmly but firmly come in the room, walk them back to bed (no hugs or snuggles to reward the behavior), say, "stay in bed." and walk out.
During night time: pretty much the same thing: no drama, get up right away and walk him back to bed calmly. No hugs and good nights, just "stay in bed." and walk out.
This means a big commitment on your part in the beginning, but remember: you have a very smart little human on your hands, and he can figure out pretty fast if you can commit to what you say or not.
Good luck!
t
