Boys Won't Stay in Their Bedroom at Night

I heard a very funny story about a family who used the following method (although it will be hard on you for a while): He put them in their rooms and told them he "didn't want to see them, didn't want to hear them" until morning. When he saw or heard them, he gave them chores (sweeping the garage and the back porch, I think) until they were tired (and when they were cold he brought them a jacket ;-). Eventually they really wanted to go to bed and when he heard something he would just say "You must not be tired" and suddenly they were ;-)

I think you can think of this 2 ways - one is that you got them out of your room and won. The other is that they aren't listening to you (and I wouldn't want them to be up and in the house w/o me at night - someone mentioned smut on TV at that hour and I agree). I'd let them know that if they wake up in the middle of the night, they can read in bed until they can go back to sleep. If they get up and out of their rooms, they will be spending all day the next day in their rooms to remind them they are to stay in there. Also, you may want to nip this in the bud before school starts and their sleep would be all out of whack.

My boys are almost the exact same age and also share a room with bunk beds, we got the kind with the double mattress on the bottom so they can sleep together, which they always do! What helped with us was to get them each a very cool night light...as well as those Crayola Glow stations. They are very cool, glow in the dark things that the kids can write on with this cool wand type thing and they are hung on the wall right next to their beds! Its pretty neat. Gives them something to do in their own room and occupies them till they finally tire and fall out!

As far as getting them to stay in their room, we always left our bedroom door wide open so we could see them and then if they try to get out we can see or hear them (I am a very light sleeper). I suggest just committing to staying awake late for about a week and listen for them to get out of bed, then just put them right back in their own beds...over and over and over again until they get the picture and understand that is the way things are going to be from now on!

Good luck!

I think I'd take the TV away for longer than a day or two. Try taking it away for a full week or two. I had some behavior issues related to TV and I took it away for a month once... by the end my boys had stopped asking to watch TV.

Another thought is perhaps you could give them a goal to work towards. Stay in your room for 1 night get a sticker, a weeks worth equals something fun as family - movie night out, pizza night, bowling... whatever you think they'd want to work for (but try to make it a meaningful thing instead of more stuff or toys). I've had success with sleep issues (for me it was nap/quiet time) by my older boy earning a trip to the model train museum in our area by having a weeks worth of "good" quiet times.

Good luck.
Jessica

I have my own issues with kids staying in bed at night...an 8 yo and 6 yo...luckily they just come up and sleep on the couch in the living room which is right off my bedroom. I think some people have already given you some good tips, but am I the only one that sees locking their bedroom door as a tremendously bad idea! God forbid you have a serious fire in your house, you now have only left them one way out if you can't get to them. I hope your having some luck with them staying in bed!

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Have you tried separate bed times? I shared a room with my younger sister (4 years younger) and I had to go to bed earlier then she did, because I was in school. Although, it sounds like your oldest may be the one causing the ruccus...(Your story is a little funny, in a frustrating way I'm sure) You might have to leave your door unlocked so you can hear them get up and play SuperNanny for a few night until they realize they cant be getting up and night to do anything other then pee. You can google her method of putting them back to bed each and everytime they get up. May cause you some bags and dark circles til they get the point...Maybe changing their bedtime to a little later, perhaps by 1/2 hour may help aswell.

I know that there is controversy over locking kids bedroom door but I think that this is the time to do just that. It's the lesser of two evils. They are more likely to get into trouble having free run of the house than if they are not able to get out of their room.

Have you asked them why they're doing this? A good book to help with talking with children and helping them understand what you expect is How To Talk So KIds Listen and Listen So Kids Will Talk by Adele Faber and Elaine Mazlish.

Plug locks will take care of the TV (or any other electrical device - computer, games, etc). Eventually they'll figure out how to work the TV without the remote so head that off before it becomes an issue.

http://www.familysafemedia.com/powerstop_power_plug_lock....

You can try keeping a book shelf in their room so if they can't fall asleep for awhile they can read. Do they want separate rooms? Maybe if you split them up you'll solve the problem if it's just one who wakes up the other all the time. Or they'll start sneaking to each others room.

Put one of those child safety door handle things on the inside of their door. It should still be really difficult for your older child to open. Then, before you go to bed, open their door so that they can get out to go to the bathroom - but not before they're asleep! :)

I also *love* the chore idea.

Good luck!