Move to big boy bed

[88keys]

I would like to clarify that I suggested spanking as a last resort. Children that are 2-3 will understandably get upset sometimes at changes in their routines and should be dealt with according to their age.

I really don't have much to offer by way of practical tips since I didn't have this issue with my 4 munchkins - I just want to extend my sympathy and encouragement to another Mom "in need" so to speak. :smile

[Anon]

Annie I'm 5'11" and can just step over gates LOL.... although right now we have hinged ones in our kitchen and stairs.

[Bakershalfdozen]

I really don't have much to offer by way of practical tips since I didn't have this issue with my 4 munchkins

We didn't have this issue either. We just made their new bed a big deal and they got excited about it.

[CJP56]

We didn't have that kind of trouble with our 2 girls either. We put them in the bed and they went to sleep. In fact, one girl would go get in bed and go to sleep if I didn't get her in bed soon enough to suit her. Our girls are 21 months apart, so, obviously, at 21 months, the oldest was in a twin bed, no fuss, no bother, no uproar. CJP56.

[deafnva77]

I am happy everyone had easy children.

Some are just colicky and cry alot. Spanking make them cry harder and longer. (I've been there). So does ignoring -- I've been there too. They don't sleep through the night at all. but my son have always been an itchy child since birth , had a terrible sensitivity to everything . My son still gets up crying and he is either breaking out, wheezing, etc.

He turned out to be a sweet boy anyway.

[88keys]

In fact' date=' one girl would go get in bed and go to sleep if I didn't get her in bed soon enough to suit her. quote']

*GRIN* That would be me.....

[tired]

Thank you for all the suggestions

[HappyChristian]

tired - we didn't have problems with our son staying in his bed, but what we did might work. When we first moved here, we got here really early in the morning, after having driven all night. So, we just placed the mattress from his crib on the floor, put a sheet on it, and laid him down. I think I might have said something about a big boy bed, I don't remember. We actually put it next to our bed just for that first time (I was kinda worried, being in a new place, so daddy was humoring me). That evening, we put it in his room, and just left it on the floor. He loved it! He slept like that for a couple of weeks, and then we got him a big boy bed - really big - it was queen size. He absolutley loved that!!!

Oh, he was not quite two at the time.

Your little guy does need to understand that being in a big boy bed doesn't mean getting up at all hours of the night and going where he wants. He is old enough to understand that, after a few instructions, and maybe even a couple of nights. But if he continues to get up and join you, it is not due to lack of understanding...it is because he wants to. And the job of parents is to change many of our childrens' wants tos!!!

I personally don't think he will associate spanking with sleeping...when my son was broken of the bottle, I simply told him he wasn't going to get another one at night (he had them 'cause I taught, and my mother got him wanting them, and it was easier....and so it goes). I told him he was a big boy and didn't need one any more (this was about two weeks after we moved into above mentioned place). He grinned at me and said okay, turned over to go to sleep. I thought, "whew, that was easy...so many people talk about horror stories..." I wasn't five steps away before he started crying. I went in and asked him why the tears. He said he wanted his bottle. I asked him what I had told him before. He told me that he was a big boy and didn't need one. I said that's right...and then I gave him three swats. Now, I know many people would say that's just horrible. But he was trying to manipulate me with his tears. Guess what? After the swats, I kissed him, hugged him, told him I loved him and told him to go to sleep without his bottle. He never wanted another one, and never cried for one again. They do know what they are doing even at that tender age!!!!

[deafnva77]

I wished it was that easy. Some kids plainly feel miserable at night (and day).

but anyway, it didn't really bother me though. I have to take out my hearing aids at night so I can't hear him cry at night. I rather if he slept with us. But one time people kept saying it was not healthy so I tried to put him to a big boy. But he still got up several times at night (he did that when he was sleeping with us too)
It was when he was able to communicate with us how he feels is what helped him sleep in his own bed. He still wake me up to tell me he is breaking out or wheezing (and you can see it for yourself too, so he isn't trying to manipulate us at all. At his age, He would love to sleep through the night like we do)

But some kids can just be plain scared in the dark. which why I suggested a tent.

[HappyChristian]

I wished it was that easy. Some kids plainly feel miserable at night (and day).

but anyway, it didn't really bother me though. I have to take out my hearing aids at night so I can't hear him cry at night. I rather if he slept with us. But one time people kept saying it was not healthy so I tried to put him to a big boy. But he still got up several times at night (he did that when he was sleeping with us too)
It was when he was able to communicate with us how he feels is what helped him sleep in his own bed. He still wake me up to tell me he is breaking out or wheezing (and you can see it for yourself too, so he isn't trying to manipulate us at all. At his age, He would love to sleep through the night like we do)

But some kids can just be plain scared in the dark.

Yeah, your situation is vastly different from a child who is just wanting his or her way!

Some kids are afraid of the dark. A nightlight would help with that, or leaving a light on, say in the bathroom. We did that when our son was younger so he could find his way to the bathroom if need be.

[deafnva77]

Tired, if you really want to keep your child in his own bed.. you will have to be firm and don't look back and give in. It confuses the child. Either you want him in his own bed or you don't. I didn't really want my son in his own bed because I can't hear at night and because our son do have asthma. That's why I waited much later for him to sleep in his big bed.

[futurehope]

tired - we didn't have problems with our son staying in his bed, but what we did might work. When we first moved here, we got here really early in the morning, after having driven all night. So, we just placed the mattress from his crib on the floor, put a sheet on it, and laid him down. I think I might have said something about a big boy bed, I don't remember. We actually put it next to our bed just for that first time (I was kinda worried, being in a new place, so daddy was humoring me). That evening, we put it in his room, and just left it on the floor. He loved it! He slept like that for a couple of weeks, and then we got him a big boy bed - really big - it was queen size. He absolutley loved that!!!

Oh, he was not quite two at the time.

Your little guy does need to understand that being in a big boy bed doesn't mean getting up at all hours of the night and going where he wants. He is old enough to understand that, after a few instructions, and maybe even a couple of nights. But if he continues to get up and join you, it is not due to lack of understanding...it is because he wants to. And the job of parents is to change many of our childrens' wants tos!!!

I personally don't think he will associate spanking with sleeping...when my son was broken of the bottle, I simply told him he wasn't going to get another one at night (he had them 'cause I taught, and my mother got him wanting them, and it was easier....and so it goes). I told him he was a big boy and didn't need one any more (this was about two weeks after we moved into above mentioned place). He grinned at me and said okay, turned over to go to sleep. I thought, "whew, that was easy...so many people talk about horror stories..." I wasn't five steps away before he started crying. I went in and asked him why the tears. He said he wanted his bottle. I asked him what I had told him before. He told me that he was a big boy and didn't need one. I said that's right...and then I gave him three swats. Now, I know many people would say that's just horrible. But he was trying to manipulate me with his tears. Guess what? After the swats, I kissed him, hugged him, told him I loved him and told him to go to sleep without his bottle. He never wanted another one, and never cried for one again. They do know what they are doing even at that tender age!!!!

Firm instruction at it's finest - delivered with love and understanding.

deafnva77,

It's not that anyone had "easy" children. Some children just face different struggles; and some parents just respond more effectively than others - not saying that you don't. Just saying that you shouldn't reduce those who are good parents to "easy children". Good parents are few and far between in this day and age and I believe they are a testimony for God that should be praised and that God should be praised for. :2cents

God Bless,

Futurehope