My son is almost two. I understand that he might seem really young for a big boy bed but I didnt know what else to do. I had him in his crib and I would do all of our night night time stuff ( bath, story time, baba, etc) and I would lay him down and give him kisses and not five minutes later he is climbing out and running around. I would put him back and the same thing happened. I would spank him and put him back. This goes on and on and on for an hour or two!! I don't know how to keep him in bed. I thought the toddler bed would be less dangerous because then I wouldnt have to worry about him falling from so high a distance. Please help. What did you guys do with your kids because I'm at my witts end. He has always been a bit ahead of where 'what to expect the toddler years' said he should be .
I think a toddler bed sounds like a good idea, as long as you make sure that the outlets are covered and the room is child-proofed, just in case he does get up. My little one is only a little older than yours is, and he's been sleeping in a toddler bed for quite a while. He slept in a crib - I had him in a co-sleeper attached to my bed - but he also tried to climb out. I found the beautiful toddler bed that he sleeps in now at a tag sale, so you might check around on craigslist or whatever tag sales you come across, because it is tag sale season. Maybe you'll luck out too. :)
It sounds like you're doing well in terms of having a bedtime routine. Does he get plenty of time running around outside to tire him out during the day? Do you also put him to bed at the same time each night? These all can also really help.
I really strongly recommend against spanking him, even after he's gotten up several times. He is too young to really understand WHY you're doing it. If anything, it will probably wake him up more, when you really want him to be calming down and settling in. Instead speak to him in a calm, quiet, firm, loving voice, and repeat to him, "You're lying down, now, honey. It's bedtime. You're going to sleep," or something like that.
If you sit in the room with him, until he falls asleep, and breath slowly and calmly, that may help him fall asleep too. In through your nose and out through your mouth, if it's comfortable for you. He will start relaxing as he hears you breathing those kinds of drawn-out, sleepy breaths.
It can be super frustrating (I know from experience!), but just remind yourself that it's not that he doesn't want to go to bed, it's that he doesn't know how. Treat it as something you need to teach him, instead of correcting misbehavior. Stay consistent. Stay calm. Make sure he knows that you love him and that sleep is good for him. It will get easier - I promise!
Good luck with it, Mama. Bedtimes can be really hard before they become habit. :)
Well I just recently moved in with my boyfriend( his father) and we have had his toddler bed in storage until we thought he was ready. We bought it at helping hands, which is basicly a yard sale in a store. I really think that calming myself down is a good idea. Most days I work until 9pm and he goes to bed at 9:30. so I easily get frustrated with him. Maybe I can use his bed time as a time to sit in his room and relax after a long day and it helps him sleep too. I suspect that part of the problem is that he is afraid of the dark and doesn't want to be in there by himself. I have a light in there for him but sometimes I don't think it is enough.
Oh, man! You deserve a little break, too, mama. ;)
I had another idea, too. Can I ask what time he wakes up and how long/what time he naps? This may seem counterintuitive, but when kids don't get enough sleep, that can itself make it harder for him to sleep. I believe the recommended amount of sleep for a kid his age is 12-14 hours, but YMMV.
He usually naps for 1-3 hours around noon (after lunch) and goes to bed anywhere between 9-11pm depending on how tired he is and how long his nap was and how long we play the get up and lay down game. And like clock work every morning he is up at 8. I feel like he is sleeping enough but sometimes my schedule doesn't allow him to get his nap on and he becomes a monster.
Let us know how it goes!
Hey Kazbrit - How is bedtime going now? What did you end up trying? Has it gotten any easier?
It has gotten a bit better. I ended up spanking him less, because like you said it wasn't helping. I keep up with our routine and I got Daddy more involved with bedtime and that seems to have helped out a lot. I can only hope that it stays better but he has always been so hard to put to sleep and it comes in stages. I just hope that this time was the worst stage and not the beginning of a long line of them. Thanks so much for all the advice.
I'm glad you got it all figured out!
I'd suggest as well, getting rid of the nightlight. It may seem counterproductive, but M didn't start being easier to put down until I got rid of it. I left it there because I was afraid he would be scared, but really he just used it as enough light to play with toys by. The lack of light left him with basically nothing to do, so boredom would encourage him to sleep. Now I just have to check his room for flashlights, and of course the minute the sun is up it is ON, so my issues aren't 100% gone. :)