My Toddler Won't Sleep In His Bed
Posted: Fri Jan 22, 2010 6:19 pm
One of the hardest challenges that as a parent you may have to face is getting your toddler to stay in their bed. It usually starts when you transition your little one from a cot to a open bed. Your toddler is used to being restricted in their cot now in their bed they can get up and get off and out of their beds when they want. It can be very frustrating!
here are some strategies you can try:
- Have you got a bedtime routine in place? Make sure your child has no reason to get out of bed - make sure before they go to bed, has had a drink of water, went to the toilet, you have read a bedtime story (or whatever is involved in you routine) and make it CLEAR that it is bedtime and they are expected to stay in bed.
- When your child gets out of bed lead them back to their bed...Give a kiss and a cuddle and leave the bedroom. If your child gets up again repeat the procedure but give brief cuddle and in a firm voice tell them that its bedtime and its time to sleep. If they get up again repeat the same procedure once again but this time no kiss or cuddle, lead to bed tuck in and leave the bedroom. Be consistent...that's the main thing CONSISTENCY!!
- You could use a star chart. Every time your child sleeps in their bed you could put a star on a chart and once they reach a certain amount you could give your child a reward..
- Encourage quiet activities before bed such as puzzles, reading, drawing instead of noisy games. Give your child a five minute warning before bed time "its 5 minutes before bed time". When you give a warning they know what is coming so they can finish up anything they are doing before bedtime
- Giving your toddler a bath before bed... normally a nice hot bath will get them relaxed for a peaceful night sleep!
-- Leave a night light on where your childe can read (or look at) a book or listen to soft music.
- Try a sound machine…
-You could also tell your child that they can take a small toy (like a novelty, etc.) with them to bed but if they comes out you'll have to take it away.
Hopefully these strategies help you out on how to deal with your todler constantly getting out of bed…
,
L.A
here are some strategies you can try:
- Have you got a bedtime routine in place? Make sure your child has no reason to get out of bed - make sure before they go to bed, has had a drink of water, went to the toilet, you have read a bedtime story (or whatever is involved in you routine) and make it CLEAR that it is bedtime and they are expected to stay in bed.
- When your child gets out of bed lead them back to their bed...Give a kiss and a cuddle and leave the bedroom. If your child gets up again repeat the procedure but give brief cuddle and in a firm voice tell them that its bedtime and its time to sleep. If they get up again repeat the same procedure once again but this time no kiss or cuddle, lead to bed tuck in and leave the bedroom. Be consistent...that's the main thing CONSISTENCY!!
- You could use a star chart. Every time your child sleeps in their bed you could put a star on a chart and once they reach a certain amount you could give your child a reward..
- Encourage quiet activities before bed such as puzzles, reading, drawing instead of noisy games. Give your child a five minute warning before bed time "its 5 minutes before bed time". When you give a warning they know what is coming so they can finish up anything they are doing before bedtime
- Giving your toddler a bath before bed... normally a nice hot bath will get them relaxed for a peaceful night sleep!
-- Leave a night light on where your childe can read (or look at) a book or listen to soft music.
- Try a sound machine…
-You could also tell your child that they can take a small toy (like a novelty, etc.) with them to bed but if they comes out you'll have to take it away.
Hopefully these strategies help you out on how to deal with your todler constantly getting out of bed…
,L.A
Hi, I can relate and feel your frustration. L.A have given great advice. Also, if he has a nap through the day you may need to make this earlier in the day and decrease this, waking him up if necessary. It sounds like he needs a new routine. i.e. Lots of activity in the afternoon then bathtime, dinner, quiet play i.e. books, puzzles (no tv or stimmulating play), warning that it is bedtime in 5 mins, then toilet, wash hands, brush teeth, kisses goodnight and ONE bedtime story. Your little one is testing you and would like and will take over if you let them. This is a battle of wills. Clever kids will come up with all sorts of ingenious ideas to suck you in. My advice is to stand your ground, as hard as it seems at the time the better chance you have inthe future of delivering some disipline. I wish you luck.