Help with Transition to Big Boy Bed

My first son was like this too. He climbed his gates. We actually triple gated him into his room (called it cell block c)and he even climbed up and over that. Months of all of the same type of things you're going through. After the second one and watching some Suppernanny shows, I realized that it takes a few nights but he will stay in his bed. Keep the gate off the door. The first time he comes out of his room, put him back in bed and say with his name, "Name", no its time for bed (or night night, whatever you say to him now). Then the next time, don't use his name just say "its time for bed", and the next time just "bed". After that no verball communication, just put him back in bed. It will SUCK the first few night but he should fall into a pattern pretty quickly and will learn that all he will get from you is being put back in bed. My 6 year old went into a crib at 2 years and he was like that. It's best to nip it in the bud now because it's impossible to get my 6 year old to sleep. The 3 year old will go to sleep on his own since I did this with him when he started in a big boy bed. After 3 books and a couple of songs he goes to sleep. Good Luck!!!

Did you try taking him out shopping to pick out his own bedset? This helped alot for us. The other big thing was that I put the crib back together (before I bought the new bedset) in my daughters room and gave her the option where to sleep. When she got out of bed, I put her in the crib and asked her if she wanted to sleep in her big girl bed or if she thought she was still a baby and wanted to be in a baby bed. It took less than a week to get my daughter back to going to bed and sleeping through the night after over a month of everything you have tried and more.

The room was very cramped, and my husband did not approve, but he didn't have an other suggestions, so I just did it. I first told my daughter what was going to happen,but she didn't get it until it was back together in her room! Hope this helps.

Hi S.,

We have a body pillow in our sons bed-he is about the same age as your son. We also have the rails on the bed so he is very snuggly in his bed.

We had just a tough time with our son in the beginning. I was told that when he cries to tell him it's bed time and put him back in bed saying nothing else. The gate really freaked our son out-we did it once and couldn't handle the all nighter that that caused.

Hang in there. You may want to check the Adoptive Families website. Our children are adopted and not sleeping is very common. They have some good suggestions on their website.

www.adoptivefamilies.com

K.

Hi S.,

It sounds like you're going through what we just went through. We had to transition to a big boy bed for the same reason (my then 16 month old adventerous son climbed over/fell out). Anyway, this is what we did: for the first 2-3 weeks we rocked him to sleep and then carried him to bed (same thing during the night when he woke up and at naps). we did that to give him time to get used to the bed... Then we started putting him in bed but staying in the room until he fell asleep. We did that for another month or so. Then we we felt like he was used to the bed, we started re-ferberizing him... (letting him cry, but going in to check on him/reassure him every few minutes---progressively longer intervals). It's working pretty well (although our son has only 7 teeth and is about to get some more so he's up all night anyway). It seemed like a huge transition. We use a gate at the door too. He usually gets out of bed and stands at the gate crying for 5-10 minutes, and then he walks to his bed and lays down and goes to sleep by himself. The final phase of the process (letting him cry in his room alone) took about 2 weeks of crying. we almost gave up. but finally it's working fine. we were also totally exhausted. but now (except for the teething) things are much much better and he loves his big boy bed.

good luck!

S.,

My son is the same age. We had to move him to a toddler bed over Labor Day weekend for the same reason. I am lucky he hasn't figured out how to open the door yet. He was pretty good about sleeping in his bed. We actually left the crib in his room for a week or so but he slept in the bed next to it. We used a nightlight for a few weeks also, that seemed to help. If he cries we will go in one time and put him back in bed and tell him to go to sleep. After that we let him cry. It usually doesn't last longer that five minutes.

My son has refused to nap some days also. Sometimes at nap time I will give him a book or two and he will usually read until he falls asleep. He also has some stuffed animals in bed with him. I think they still need naps at this age but I have heard they can stop taking naps at any time. I still need nap time!

At one point he wanted one of my husband's Chicago Bears throw pillows to sleep with so we let him have one in bed with him. Maybe if you let him pick out a pillow or stuffed animal to sleep with him that will make him feel better.

One night I found him asleep under his bed. He is doing pretty well now. We have good and bad nights but I am lucky he is and always has been a good sleeper. He almost never wakes up during the night.

Hang in there. You will figure out what works with your son. It will get better.

You might try moving his mattress to the floor so that it's not high off the ground. Also, try rigging up one railing of the crib along side the bed so that he feels enclosed (some creative work with rope should help you work this one).

You've probably already done this, but he needs to feel like this is a positive step towards being a big boy. Maybe show him your bed and explain to him that he is big enough to have his own? Do you have some story books that show pictures of other kids sleeping in big beds? Point them out to him. Good luck!

Hi S., I had trouble with my son which now is 4 and we put him in a big boy bed at almost 3, we had to lay with him until he fell asleep then we moved to my husband or i would lie on the floor, until he was asleep then moved it to the door and my husband said thats its your a big boy..you have to go to bed by yourself. He has a night light it not very bright.... It worked..That took about a year,and still to this day my son will get up and sleep in our bed, we cant keep him in his bed. he comes in and we take him back and he returns so i dont know how to fix that problem. but i want to say that he will get used to it....

D.

I would let him sleep with you! You will both get the rest you need. You can provide a great deal of security for him if you do this.
Amy