Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
My 2 1/2 year old soon was climbing out of the crib so we turned his crib into a toddler bed because we were afraid he was going to hurt himself. The problem is he absolutely will not stay in his bed. He comes all the way downstairs in the middle of the night and shows up at the side of our bed. We have to take him back upstairs and put him to bed. I am trying the approach of no talking, quickly putting him back to bed but he cries and cries and wakes up my 4 year old. None of us are getting any sleep. I don't know what to do. My husband and I agree we need to just keep trying and he needs to learn to stay in bed but right now we are losing hope that he will ever "get it". I should also note that we have a gate at the top of our stairs that is permanently attached to the wall, etc. but he has learned how to open it and when he is not successful at opening it he tries to climb over it. I feel like I am going to have a nervous breakdown.
I know this sounds crazy but I really feel like I am raising a future conduct disorder child. Do the signs and symptoms show up this early?
For what its worth, I think you are doing the right thing by just taking him back to bed without trying to have a conversation with him. It certainly won't be easy, but this is the time to do it before he gets in the habit of sleeping with you and trying to break that later. Stick with it and he will learn it is bedtime. Be sure to give positive reinforcement for nights he doesn't get up.
Boys tend to have seperation anxiety more at this early age. I have always wondered if that was true during the night time too. Although vukinjo gave good, time-tested advice, I also want to weigh in on the other side. We have always let my son sleep with us when he wanted to. For the most part, he now sleeps on his own (he's 5). Most likely, it is just a phase. What I do know is that this has absolutely nothing to do with conduct disorder. Something is waking your son up and something is making him afraid to sleep alone. Is he very verbal? If he is, he should be able to tell you what is wrong, although it might take a little detective work.
what if you could put the siblings together? it might be rough at fist, but i bet your son would like the company, and probably would not leave the room if he knew someone was already there.
For what its worth, I think you are doing the right thing by just taking him back to bed without trying to have a conversation with him. It certainly won't be easy, but this is the time to do it before he gets in the habit of sleeping with you and trying to break that later. Stick with it and he will learn it is bedtime. Be sure to give positive reinforcement for nights he doesn't get up.
This.
Consistancy is the key. Repeatedly taking him back to his bed without eye contact or conversation will send him the message that you mean what you say.
That will come in quite handy in other areas of his life as well.
Do you have a night lite in his room? Sometimes children at this age are afraid of the dark. Two of my grandchildren woke up in the middle of the night like this so the parents put in a light. It helped. Perhaps it might help you, worth a try.
I have a 2-year-old, we skipped the toddler bed and went straight to the full sized bed with him. We got the rails that attach to the sides of the bed so he can't fall out of bed. Since he's in a full size bed, me or DH fit in it to lay down with him when he needs it. When he first switched to his big bed, I would usually lay down with him until he fell asleep and once he got used to his new bed, he didn't need me to lay down with him anymore. Also, I put a child lock on his door, not because I'm trying to lock him in, but because I'm afraid he will get up and let himself out of the house in the middle of the night while we are sleeping. (He's pretty good at undoing the locks!) We still use the baby monitor so we can hear him if he does get up in the middle of the night and I go back in and lay down with him until he falls asleep again. He rarely night wakes and it works well for us. Good luck!
I had fish aquariums in my kids room when they were little it helped. Also would put them back in bed but would tell them why.
Things like you are a big boy now and big boys sleep in their own big bed. Give treats/rewards for a night in their own bed. What ever they love to do or eat.
It is tough but do not cave in. This is a test.... remember that. Be firm and consistent very important.....
My nephew loves Elmo and I found a book that had Elmo sleeping in his own bed and he slept in his own bed because Elmo did so whatever works!
My 2 1/2 year old soon was climbing out of the crib so we turned his crib into a toddler bed because we were afraid he was going to hurt himself. The problem is he absolutely will not stay in his bed. He comes all the way downstairs in the middle of the night and shows up at the side of our bed. We have to take him back upstairs and put him to bed. I am trying the approach of no talking, quickly putting him back to bed but he cries and cries and wakes up my 4 year old. None of us are getting any sleep. I don't know what to do. My husband and I agree we need to just keep trying and he needs to learn to stay in bed but right now we are losing hope that he will ever "get it". I should also note that we have a gate at the top of our stairs that is permanently attached to the wall, etc. but he has learned how to open it and when he is not successful at opening it he tries to climb over it. I feel like I am going to have a nervous breakdown.
I know this sounds crazy but I really feel like I am raising a future conduct disorder child. Do the signs and symptoms show up this early?
VERY NORMAL PHASE!
We went through this at 24 months.
Awful.
We put a latch on the outside of his door.
Made sure he had nothing in his room he could harm himself with, etc.
I was 8 months pregnant.
He would cry for over 2 hrs. sometimes..."Moooooooommmmmmaaaaa. Daaaaadaaaaa. Pllleeeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaasseee!".
We'd hear his little feet scurry over to the door & he'd bang on the door &fall on the floor crying.
Lasted about 3 weeks.
THen, something just clicked with him. He knew we weren't coming in, so guess he decided sleep was better than no sleep.
He's almost 3 & haven't had an issue since.
GOOD LUCK!
Of course, if this is presistent behavior for several weeks, better talk to your pediatrican,etc
My 2 1/2 year old soon was climbing out of the crib so we turned his crib into a toddler bed because we were afraid he was going to hurt himself. The problem is he absolutely will not stay in his bed. He comes all the way downstairs in the middle of the night and shows up at the side of our bed. We have to take him back upstairs and put him to bed. I am trying the approach of no talking, quickly putting him back to bed but he cries and cries and wakes up my 4 year old. None of us are getting any sleep. I don't know what to do. My husband and I agree we need to just keep trying and he needs to learn to stay in bed but right now we are losing hope that he will ever "get it". I should also note that we have a gate at the top of our stairs that is permanently attached to the wall, etc. but he has learned how to open it and when he is not successful at opening it he tries to climb over it. I feel like I am going to have a nervous breakdown.
I know this sounds crazy but I really feel like I am raising a future conduct disorder child. Do the signs and symptoms show up this early?
My four year old doesn't stay in bed either... when you figure out how to get them glued to the sheets let me know your trick
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
