Getting 2 year old into their own room/bed

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My nearly 2 year old was fine going to bed in her own room when she was in a cot but then started to climb and one night climbed out and fell out so I had to take the sides down. As soon as the sides came down she realised she could come out of her room and for the past few weeks has come into my bed.

I have tried to get her back into her bed but she keeps coming back into mine. Even if she falls asleep in my bed and I carry her back to her bed she wakes up and wont go back to sleep. I dont want to leave her to scream as it will disturb my eldest (who is 10) and at school.

However, over half term my eldest is away for a week so am determined to get her back in her bed, what ever it takes.

Was thinking of going for a stairgate on her bedroom door and if necessary putting her cover over her wherever she falls asleep unless anyone has any good tips or ideas?

I have a week to get her into her bed and used to being there without her screaming all night. Does this sound realistic. If she wakes in the night, do I comfort her then go back to my room or just leave her?

Any advice much appreciated (have made a rod for my own back here!)

SkintGypsy

My daughter still wore a sleeping bag when she moved into her bed. The first couple of nights she climbed out of bed and was trying the handle. She couldn't open the door and slept on the floor for a couple of nights in her bag. She was warm and safe, but not comfy enough to bother getting out of bed more than a couple of days.

honeypop

We have a gate on my sons door, so he's never been able to leave his room without us wanting him to. When he moved into a bed in January, we did his same bedtime routine - milk, quiet play, story while sat in bed, musical toy on then leave the room after goodnights. He usually then stands at the door for 5-10 mins, or gets out of bed to play some more, but eventually gets himself back in bed, never fallen asleep out of bed. He sometimes makes a fuss at the gate if he's not ready for bed yet (usually if we haven't done much and he has more energy!), but still always gets back in bed eventually.

I would put a gate on the door, and use the week to get her used to not being able to leave the room when she wants to. She may well make a fuss and shout etc but she will eventually get it. I saw on supernanny once where if the child woke up in the night and wouldn't stay in bed, she'd say 'no, it's bedtime now' and lead them back into bed. Any more times and no words were spoken, just keep leading them back into bed and leaving the room. They pick it up very quickly apparently.

Suzanne_Louise

We're at our wits end with our DD at the moment. We took the sides off her cot about 6 weeks ago, as she managed to climb out one night. In anticipation of her moving into her bed, we bought some Dream Tubes, to stop her falling out. Worked well at first, but she just climbs out all the time now. Again, we've put a gate at her door, but she just throws all her cuddlies over it! We're now wondering whether to put one of her old fitted sheets on the bed, as we're wondering if the Dream Tubes are restricting her movement and not giving her as much space as she needs?

We feel we're making a rod for our own backs at the moment, as she ends up either in bed with us or in the spare room with one of us, but at least she then sleeps, albeit like a limpit!

We're both becoming increasingly distraught at this and it's starting to be an unhappy home.

Our childminder recommended Toddler Training by Philip Green, and we're tyring to do the controlled crying, but it's not really working at the moment, as we're both too tired!

Sorry that I've hijacked this thread, but it's all too close to home!

esmf73

stairgate - definately worked for me - and if they throw the toys out, then they stay out - the children learn eventually. x mine did

McKneff

Shut the door, move the door handle up 18 inches.

ilikewatch

Take the handle/doorknob off the inside of the door, and store it somewhere high up in the room just in case you get accidentally shut in.

Becles

Talk to her during the day about how pleased you will be if she stays in bed all night. Say she's a big girl now and doesn't need to come in with you. That gets the idea in her head when she's alert.

Be firm the first time she gets up. Pick her up, put her into bed, explain it's bedtime and she has to stay in bed, then ignore her.

If she gets out again, pick her up with no speaking or eye contact and put her back and leave. Ignore twisty crying as it's just attention seeking.

It may take several attempts the first couple if nights but it will sink in fairly quickly. If they are getting no attention from you, they soon get bored and stop in bed.

Counting_Pennies_2

My DD is just approaching her 4th birthday, and she is only just ready for the stairgate to come off her bedroom door.

We used to keep it shut all night and keep a potty in her room and lift her just before we go to bed. She never has fallen asleep outside of her bed, but always intended to pick her up and put her back in when we went to bed.

We now keep the gate open even when she is put to bed, and she stays in her room. But it has stayed on the door and is used as a deterent if she starts wandering.

hth

McKneff

Becles wrote: »

Talk to her during the day about how pleased you will be if she stays in bed all night. Say she's a big girl now and doesn't need to come in with you. That gets the idea in her head when she's alert.

Be firm the first time she gets up. Pick her up, put her into bed, explain it's bedtime and she has to stay in bed, then ignore her.

If she gets out again, pick her up with no speaking or eye contact and put her back and leave. Ignore twisty crying as it's just attention seeking.

It may take several attempts the first couple if nights but it will sink in fairly quickly. If they are getting no attention from you, they soon get bored and stop in bed.

Best quote on this thread IMHO:T

[Deleted User]

I second becles, one chance that no more, anything thrown out stays out and eventually they get tired enough to sleep and figure out its not worth it. My son (first child) was our learning curve and needed a gate our second (daughter) wanted to be like son and went into a bed from 17m and never needed a gate and never came out of bed. I do realise that we were lucky, probably son is more usual. Cos its always worth a try...........................