Parenting Toddlers (1-3) Support Group

Either way can work, but it will take patience. I have found my daughters patterns have changed several times and I have had to adapt. Just a thought, but have you thought about changing his bedding? maybe he has a NEW favorite theme or character, that helped with my daughter, changed to sheets and comforter to Dora and she WANTED to be in bed!

you know...i never thought about changing his bedding but it was just recently his b-day and he go a new set of sheets...."Cars" (from the movie) i think i will change them today...thanks!!

OK, ready for this one? You may think I'm completely nuts, but here's what worked and is still working for me. After changing him to his toddler bed( A nightmare of a week or so) He began to come out and wander. One night, he pointed at one of his big truck toys and proclaimed he didn't like it. It lights up, has some sirens and moves fwd and back. He mentioned this one night when he wouldn't stay in his bed. I jumped at the chance and told him "This is the night-night truck and you can't get out of your bed cause he's watching you!" Cruel as it may sound, it wasn't done mean and for what ever reason....it worked! It works as a great tool for naps as well a bedtime. I just tell him that he has 10 more minutes until the truck comes and he knows what's coming and 95% of the time he goes to bed. One night I even forgot to put it out and he asked me for it. I know it sounds crazy but it works. Hey, our mom's told us about the boogie man, right? So 'night night truck' ani't so bad. Afterall, what's the worst that can happen...He'll be grown one day...see a similar truck and want to take a nap....he just won't understand why!!!hahaha Hey I guess when you're a single mom, you do what works.

Our son doesn't get out of bed much, but some nights are bad. The door knob on the door is on backwards so I can lock it from the outside. Eventually your little boy will figure out that the bed is more comfortable than the floor. As long as he's not upset, I say your way will work and be easier for you. The other thing is you could try is to get a Moby Tykelight which has a 15 min timer. He can look at books until the light goes out. That might give him some alone unwinding time before he goes to sleep.

growin,

What a great trick! I had to laugh though, picturing him in 20 years driving and having to pull of to the side of the road because of his fear for trucks...

I agree with the needed patience. Even my oldest, when moved from crib to toddler bed, popped out every few minutes until we put up a gate. I do like the idea of special new bedding.

I am sure I'll be in your dilemma very soon with mine, so I am eager to see more ideas.

Duct tape could work. (kidding...maybe...)

Long-winded tale to success!!

My son is almost 2 and we've just worked through the same issue. Into a toddler bed because climbing out of his crib became easy. Then night after night of him not staying in bed, I tried EVERYTHING. I tried rocking him until he was sleepy. I tried patting his back in bed and singing to him until he fell asleep. I tried the child gate, he just climbed over it. I tried a later bedtime. I tried an earlier bedtime. I turned the doorknob around and locked him in (he would climb onto the dresser and then throw things off, dismantle the baby monitor base, climb the empty toy shelf, pull the blinds down, etc).

So finally, after he left his room and I found him on the front porch at 10:00 p.m., I implemented "Operation Tough Love" based on a book - Healthy Sleep Habits, Weisbluth. I call him the Sleep Nazi because he has such a rigid seemingly mean approach to sleeping. But it has worked!

Everything possible (all toys) removed from the bedroom, exact same routine and time for bed - at 7:30 read 3 books, rock for 1 minute, 1 song in bed, leave room by 7:40 p.m. No deviation.
Then, if he gets up, I silently return him to his bed - no eye-contact, no words, no attention. BTW,It's harder than it sounds.

I didn't think it would work, so I commited to give it 2 weeks.
The first night I sat outside his door and over 2 hours had to put him back in bed approximately 5700000 times. Sometimes he wailed, sometimes complied, asked for hugs, books, water all of which I ignored (so hard). Then next night, 1.5 hours and only about a dozen times back to bed. By Day 5 he was staying in his bed and talking (trying to negotiate) but he was down to only 1-2 times out of bed.

Now, I am oh-so-pleased to report, we are on Day 11 of Operation Tough Love and for the past 3 nights he has not gotten out of bed a single time. And, he's been asleep by 8:00 p.m. every night.

Hard to be "cold" to your child but the approach has worked magic! Good luck in your endeavors whichever method you employ!