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Our two year old daughter has been waking in the middle of the night and getting out of bed for at least the last month. She usually wakes about 2:00am and will keep getting out of bed for about an hour or so, sometimes more, before going back to sleep. We follow the "staying in bed" method. We tell her once it's bedtime, and each subsequent time she gets out, put her back in with no discussion, eye contact, etc...
We figured that by doing this she would see that behavior was not getting her attention and would stop quickly, but this has not been the case.
She's not asking for anything when she gets up, I think she is just wanting attention. I don't want to go backwards with her but we are considering putting the side back up on her bed (it's a crib converted to a toddler bed). We've considered (gasp) locking her door from the outside so she can't get out. We are wits end. Could you all please share your experience or advice?
I could have written this post myself. I have 3 kids aged 7 yrs 2 1/2 and 8 months. My 2 1/2 year old has been doing the exact same thing for about 4 months now. She wakes up, comes downstairs and goes back to sleep on her little Dora couch. I believe it a phase and one that I have no choice but to suffer through. Then again I practice attachment parenting.
I rocked her to sleep until she was 2 1/2 and she decided she no longer wanted to be rocked to sleep. Now she is 2 yrs and 8 months and I lie down beside her until she goes to sleep.
Please do not lock her inside her room. That would be very traumatizing to her that is the last thing I would do. Also I wouldn't put the side back up on her bed. She might get hurt trying to climb over it.
It has been my experience that children tend to sleep better when they are around 3 years old and up. That ususally coincides to when they give up their daytime nap.
I really don't have any suggestions I just wanted to let you know you are not alone and it is a phase that will pass. She is still very young and needs her mommy and daddy to comfort her.
To be on the safe side maybe take her to the Dr. to rule out an ear infection. Also, she may be getting her 2yr old molars.
Good Luck to both of us!
My son started doing the same thing a few months back. Also, my 5 year old likes to climb into bed with me at 2 in the morning so I finally put a gate up at the hallway that leads to their bedrooms. That way I can hear them if they really need me but keeps them contained at the same time. I put a clock in my 5 year olds room and told her if that number was not a 7 then do not call for me. LOL! It has actually worked pretty good. Sometimes my 5 year old will climb over it but my son has not.
If she can understand the conversation you can just tell her not to get out of bed when she wakes up at night unless she needs help with the potty.
Are you sure she is awake? We thought DD was waking up at night too. She would get up and walk around the house then we'd find her asleep on the couch, on the kitchen floor, in the hallway. She was sleepwalking!! We put a baby gate in her doorway but she continued to sleep walk (and talk) on occasion until she was about 9.
We all have degrees of wakefulness at night. We learn to go back to sleep. Is she waking because of a wet diaper or to use the potty? Otherwise it's just a matter of time until she learns to fall back asleep on her own.
How about a night light that changes colors or displays shapes and colors on the wall....DD used to fall asleep watching anything like that. She particularly loved the fish screen saver on the computer, lol....put her out like a light.
Perhaps a CD or fan for background noise will be soothing as well.
Our two year old daughter has been waking in the middle of the night and getting out of bed for at least the last month. She usually wakes about 2:00am and will keep getting out of bed for about an hour or so, sometimes more, before going back to sleep. We follow the "staying in bed" method. We tell her once it's bedtime, and each subsequent time she gets out, put her back in with no discussion, eye contact, etc...
We figured that by doing this she would see that behavior was not getting her attention and would stop quickly, but this has not been the case.
She's not asking for anything when she gets up, I think she is just wanting attention. I don't want to go backwards with her but we are considering putting the side back up on her bed (it's a crib converted to a toddler bed). We've considered (gasp) locking her door from the outside so she can't get out. We are wits end. Could you all please share your experience or advice?
There is nothing wrong with wanting attention especially when you are that young. It is best to start out with the attitude that she is not doing this to frustrate you. I know, easier said than done but being frustrated might be sending her another message.
One method that I have heard of was to give her a hug and then tell her that if she wants another hug she has to fall asleep. When she wakes up again, she will get a hug. However, she MUST fall asleep first. This is Dr. Jay Gordon's method.
This is what I did with my son when he was about 2 1/2. His main problem was wanting to start the day at 5 am which was too early for me.
I got a night light that sits on top of a table (in the shape of a turtle). I plugged it into a digital timer. He was allowed to come out of his room when the night light turned on (it was programmed to go on at 6:30 am). He could not come out of his room (his bathroom was attached to his room) or call out for me until the light went on or there was an emergency. He got a sticker every day he followed the rule. If he earned 6 stickers in a row, he got to pick out a small toy. After a year of doing this the stickers and toy were not needed. Now at 5 yrs old he loves his turtle light. It eliminated the confusion of when to get up.
The online store OneStepAhead now has a product that does something similar to the nightlight I described above.
The child has to be old enough to understand what an emergency is. We talked in detail about what emergencies were (sick, falling out of bed, nightmares etc).
Sometimes my 2 yr old (2 yrs 3 mos) will wake up. I have tried laying down with her but she just stays awake and moves around a LOT and I don't get any sleep. I told her the other night that she didn't have to sleep but she had to stay in bed and NOT say another word because she was calling out mommy and her brother's name at 2am. Normally if they aren't crying I ignore it. I heard her on the monitor but didn't want her to wake up her brother! She isn't able to climb out of her bed OR open her door yet. I have very short kids! They aren't climbers either-never tried to get out of their crib.
4 yr old woke up the other night and he said he was scared. At least he is a better bed mate than his sister. He will wake up occasionally and SAY nothing to us and we find him on his fold out couch in the living room.
My daughter often wakes in the night to use the potty, and then she comes into our room afterwards. We don't find it to be a big deal, we just let her in the bed. I don't think it is at all abnormal for kids to wake up in the night, whether it's for a drink, to use the potty, or for comfort. And I don't think that comfort is an unworthy request either. I don't get to go off-duty in my job as a parent just because it's night-time.
If you really want your child to stay in her room, I'd suggest a gate at the door rather than locking the door because I think that would be less scary for the child. But I guess I'd consider why you really want that so badly. Is it because it is truly bothering you? Or because it is something you think you "should" do?
My daughter often wakes in the night to use the potty, and then she comes into our room afterwards. We don't find it to be a big deal, we just let her in the bed. I don't think it is at all abnormal for kids to wake up in the night, whether it's for a drink, to use the potty, or for comfort. And I don't think that comfort is an unworthy request either. I don't get to go off-duty in my job as a parent just because it's night-time.
If you really want your child to stay in her room, I'd suggest a gate at the door rather than locking the door because I think that would be less scary for the child. But I guess I'd consider why you really want that so badly. Is it because it is truly bothering you? Or because it is something you think you "should" do?
You got that right. Oh and we don't get any lunch or coffee breaks.
My daughter often wakes in the night to use the potty, and then she comes into our room afterwards. We don't find it to be a big deal, we just let her in the bed. I don't think it is at all abnormal for kids to wake up in the night, whether it's for a drink, to use the potty, or for comfort. And I don't think that comfort is an unworthy request either. I don't get to go off-duty in my job as a parent just because it's night-time.
If you really want your child to stay in her room, I'd suggest a gate at the door rather than locking the door because I think that would be less scary for the child. But I guess I'd consider why you really want that so badly. Is it because it is truly bothering you? Or because it is something you think you "should" do?
Thank fully, I gave up the "what should my daughter be doing". I co-sleep with her part of the night so I don't do anything. When she starts talking, then I will start asking why she wakes up and perhaps put some limits by showing her that she can take care of herself at night for things that don't require a parent. Comfort requires a parent present.
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