My two year old just started to crawl out of his crib. (We never had this issue with our older one.) I would put him back in and he would be out again. We took the side off his crib today thinking that might help, saying it's a big boy bed, but he is still not staying in bed. This is a kid who still needs to nap especially since he is getting up three to four times at night. Who else has experienced this and what did you do to get your child to stay in bed. I am at the point of putting the side back on the crib and finding a crib tent to keep him in bed. Help.
I had the same problem with my 2 year ols right after my third was born. After trying everything and it not working, I just let him stop napping. He's been doing much better since and I am less stressed even though I have less alone time because I'm not fighting him. By the way, I'm a birth doula in Denver if you want some help having your third!
With #3 on the way. I would buy a nice high expensive child gate (pull any toys he could climb on out of his room) and put the gate on his door. Leave the door to the gate open when he is not sleeping, otherwise close it and explain that he doesn't have to stay in bed but he has to rest and stay in his room for quiet time. I did this with my son, I had very few toys in his room mainly books and stuffed animals he would almost always fall asleep within 5 to 10 min of being put in his room (once he got used to it--a few days). By the time he his 3 to 3 and 1/2 you won't need the gate anymore....it is just him being afraid he is missing something.
OH IMPORTANT SIDE NOTE, SINCE HE IS THE 2ND CHILD PUT HIS BIG BROTHER DOWN FOR A NAP (EVEN IF HE ISN'T REALLY TAKING ONE) 1ST. That way the 2 year old isn't thinking he is the only person going down. You could institute a quiet time for the 4 year old at the same time....That way when the newborn comes you might get a couple minutes a day of down time.
Good luck,
R.
If he is capable of getting out it is a waste of your energy to try and keep him in it.
Make it into a toddler bed if it coverts and get a bedrail. Or time to just put him in a big boy bed.
Put up a chart. For every night he stays put, DOES NOT GET UP and goes to bed nicely, give him a star. After 14 stars, then maybe a small treat or ice cream. Make a huge deal of his turning into a big boy, have him help you pick out some cool big boy sheets! Empower him and don't buy into his continuing to get up.
Him getting up has nothing to do with the bed/crib it has to do with this new trick he has learned and you need to enforce the rules he is not to get up! Period. It may take you putting him back over and over, but be firm, no idle threats and do it over and over again until he gets it.
My 2 year old wouldn't stay in his bed, either, when he started climbing out of his crib. We took the side off his crib and put a baby gate in his doorway. I watched him very carefully when he first saw the new arrangement. We went into his room, I turned around and put up the gate, and then we did bedtime tuck-ins and stories. He immediately got out of bed (because he could) when I left, and that's when he really noticed the gate. He eyed it curiously, but I saw a tiny bit of relief on his face. His world was too big when he could get up at any time of the night and roam the entire house! But his bedroom he could handle.
That was back in the Fall. Now he stands at his gate and yells, "I don't want to go sleeeep!" and "Mom, where are you?" and "Mom, get this fence out of mine way!" but he always gets back in bed and goes to sleep!
Good luck.
BTW, we like our gate. It's gray plastic and is fairly easy to put in, and doesn't damage our doors. It was about $20 at Walmart. More than the cheap wood and white plastic ones, but I think it's better.
