2.5 year old wont stay in her room at nap or night time???

[dbanana]

I have a 2.5 year old daughter and she has been in a big girl bed since she was 19 months old. We started off with keeping the door shut at bedtime and opening it before we went to bed and then about one to two months ago decided to leave it open so she would get use to staying in her bed when it was time for either nap or bedtime. She was doing really well and stayed in her bed if we told her to she only came downstairs maybe twice. In the last few weeks she has realized she can open doors and we didn't think it was going to matter because she sleeps with the door open all the time. Well, now she is up until 11pm at night going up and down the stairs every 2-3 mins. I have tried everything to get her to just stay in there but it is not working. Any ideas ? Please help!

[We Three]

A baby gate??  I worry about her falling down the steps      Would a gate be ok, since the door would be open and she could see, but she can't get out.   

[dbanana]

I have thought about it but I like the fact that if she needs me in the middle of the night she can just come out of her room and get me. If I put up a baby gate then I will have to take it down and it would be too noisey and I am nervious that it would wake up my 5 month old who i have just gotten on a good sleep routine. Thanks though!

[We Three]

My dd is 27 mos and we still use a monitor...so if she needs me I can hear her.  The baby gate...I know I can step over mine with not much problem...but then again I'm really tall!!

[dbanana]

lol! I am really short and have a hard time getting over it! I have a monitor but I use it for my 5 month old and we have tried to use two at a time but they interfere with each other.