How did you get your LO to stay in toddler bed? He's 2 1/2....

[JulieNG]

He was jumping out of crib for 2 weeks or so, but not as much as he's getting out of toddler bed. We moved him last week about 4 days before i left for a trip. It took me 2 hours each night to get him to bed. I've been literally just putting him back in bed each time he gets out and not hardly talking. Well then I left for 3 night and my mom watched him and has some trouble, but not as much as me. Now I've been spending 2 hours or more since I got home on Monday. What should I do? Going crazy here as I have NO time to myself at night.

[Melej]

I had this with my DD1. I had tried the taking straight back but like you ended up taking forever. I then introduced a sticker chart. She chose the background (I just googled sticker charts & found a site you could print one from) and the stickers (from a supermarket) and told her that each night she stayed in her bed ALL night she could get a sticker. When she had 5 stickers she would get a treat, that she could choose at the beginning of the 5 days. This would be something like going to feed the ducks, to the park, baking a cake nothing expensive.

I know not everyone is a fan of sticker charts but I can honestly say this has worked brilliantly. We have been able to move the goalposts to 7 days and will soon finish using it. It did take a couple of days for her to figure it out but I found having the treat as the carrot to dangle was a reminder for her about what was in it for her. She soon cottoned on that quicker she got the 5 stickers the quicker she could get the treat, which meant I got my evenings back. It was win-win for us!!!

[anna*]

We tried returning Stan silently to bed - he kept going to 10.30pm! After that, we put a babygate up at his bedroom door. Couple of nights of fuss, now he goes to bed easy as pie and stays there unless something is wrong.

[nona]

we used baby gates. we had to use 2 one of top of each other in the doorway. (he would crawl over the first one).

we made a sleep chart/rule and he got 2 tuck-ins. after that no more. we had to be very strict.

rewards didn't work for us when we did this (he didn't care).

i have a very long story to go with this but that is the short story......

[JulieNG]

Thanks for the help! I may have to try a baby gate tonight. Last night took almost 2 hours again. In and out of his room. He didn't really care about the sticker chart thing which I tried 2 days ago. My uncle had to come over at 10pm last night and he went right to bed for him. My husband works till 11pm and i thought he was gona be up when he got home. The frustrating thing is he only does this for me and not my hubby. My uncle was the closest thing to him last night and it worked. I feel like I'm being strict w/ him so I don't know what the problem is.

[nona]

he just knows he can get away more with you b/c your mom. he is willing to act with you but not others.  just be very consistent.. ((HUGS)) i've been there!!!!