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Help! He won't stay in his toddler bed!

Posted by sedwa (My Page) on
Wed, Jan 2, 02 at 1:50

Okay, last night we took the siderail off my son's crib. He's going to be 3 soon, and we have a little one on the way, so we want to transition him out of the crib and into a twin bed. He was overjoyed with the freedom, but went to bed immediately last night.Then, of course, he wandered into our room 3 or 4 times throughout the night. He doesn't usually wake up at night, so I'm HOPING this is just a novelty.
Then, this afternoon, he refused his nap. Wouldn't stay in bed, was totally exhausted and just drove me insane. HOW WILL I GET THIS KID TO NAP?? How do parents with toddler beds or twin beds get their kids to sleep during the day, and stay in bed at night?

I know this is an age where some kids end the nap, but he definitely still needs it. He passes out within seconds of getting in the car, and he's sooo cranky when he doesn't sleep for 2 hours during the day.


Follow-Up Postings:

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RE: Help! He won't stay in his toddler bed!

The only thing you can do is to keep taking him back to his room and laying him down and telling him it's time to go to bed. Try saying it in a stern voice. It will take time to get this to sink into his head. I think he will wake up for a while during the night because it's something new~think of when you go stay at someone else's house or in a hotel or something and you can't sleep right. If you worry about him getting up and you not knowing it~like he doesn't come into your room~we used to take one of the baby gates and just lean it agaist the doorway so he would push it over when he was coming out. The noise would wake me and our room is pretty far away from his. DS was about 18 months when he started sleeping in his bed and he's almost 3 now and no problems anymore.

~Leslie~


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RE: Help! He won't stay in his toddler bed!

My 2 year old is doing the same thing. He learned how to climb out of his crib, so we moved him to his "big boy bed".

I am definately spoiled, as he USED to sleep from about 8pm, until at least 9am, without waking at all.

For the last two mornings (around 4 am), I awoke to him sitting quietly on the bed, between mine and DH's pillows, "gently" lifting my eyelids. As soon as I open my eyes, he says "HI" in a perky voice.

I put him back into his bed, and he goes back to sleep. I'm just wondering how much more my eyelids can take!!


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RE: Help! He won't stay in his toddler bed!

We used to say, "well, by the time he goes to college, maybe he will......whatever" This too, will change. Be patient.

Do you read him a bedtime story? Bedtime is a wonderful time to strengthen the bond between you. A story also allows them to relax more before sleep. They sleep better.

Some children are worse about this than others. But eventually he will get himself straightened out. There is not much you can do except take him back to bed and make sure that he knows you love him.


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RE: Help! He won't stay in his toddler bed!

My kid is afraid of the dark. 3 years old and won't sleep in the bed without a fight. What we did that kind of helped was teach her how to read a clock. We drew big pictures of 8:30. Put a digital clock in her room. We brought her in the room at 8:30 to see. Then we read a story at bedtime (Little Bear Who Goes to the Moon). She seems to enjoy that and the bear goes to bed. Basically we just established a routine and struck with it.

It's starting to work... but it just takes a while of not giving in and letter them cry it out for an hour. It's hard at first, but it establishes consistency.


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RE: Help! He won't stay in his toddler bed!

A couple months ago we put our toddler in his his "big Boy Bed" I was worried about the same thing. Surprisingly he wont get out of bed until i come in there and say ok you can get up. Not sure why he does this. I did read a lot before hand about kids in toddler beds, and everything i read said to make sure when you walk them back to bed you dont say any words. So once your toddler comes into your room, just grab his hand and walk him back to his room without saying anything. He'll eventually get the idea. Unfortunately you'll have broken sleep for awhile. good luck


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