2 y.o. Just Switched to Toddler Bed

I recently switched my girl, too and I was worried about the same exact thing. What I did was put stuffed animals or books with her at nap time and I told her she didn't have to sleep, but she had to stay in bed. It worked like a charm. She plays for awhile thinking she doesn't have to "go night night" and inevitably she falls asleep in 15-30 minutes.

I was concerned about the same thing when I moved my 2 y.o. to the toddler bed. When she was in her crib she took a while to fall asleep (up to an hour)if she fell asleep at all for naps. Well the first week was rough but we made sure she stayed her bed for about 45 min. This took staying outside her room and busting her out of her bed and taking her back to her bed and telling her to stay in the bed to rest. I had to take out a few toys when I busted her playing with them but after taking out 3 things she decided to stay in her bed. I put music on that lasts 45 min and told her that when the music stops she can get out of her bed. She now seems to understand what nap time is and falls asleep almost every time in about 10 min.!!! She even asks if she can get out of bed. which I have accepted is part of her staying in her bed. it worked great for us but you need to be consistent and take her back to bed. I also have a 8 1/2 month old so we just played near her door. Good luck.

Cross your fingers and hope she stays. The same thing happened with my youngest when we switched him and he still stays in bed. He also has a tough time falling asleep some times and he'll talk and sing in his bed until he falls asleep. I don't know why he still stays there. I try to get him as soon as he wakes up because I like the arrangement!

Down time is really good for them at that age so I'd say to keep her in there for that "nap time." I suppose if you really have to battle with her though you may have to consider that she's ready to give up the naps. Especially if she's also having trouble falling asleep at night. I'd considered letting mine little guy give up the naps but the few times he misses it because of a scheduling conflict he is a bear! He'll be 3 in June and we're not ready to let him give up the naps just yet. Good luck!

When I had this problem with my then-2-year-old I taught her how to look at the first number on the digital clock in her room and told her she had to stay in her room "until the 3 came" on the clock. At first she would sleep for a while then play a little, and now, since she is 4, she doesn't really need any sleep during "naptime" anymore. But she still plays quietly by herself in her room every day from 1:00 to 3:00 (which is great since I now have 2 other kids who all have naptime too). This worked for my daughter because she is an amazingly obedient little girl. I'm not sure it would work for all personality types - for example I have no hope of my son ever doing something like that since he is just a little more rebellious.
Good luck!

Whay kind of sheets and blankets does your daughter have?If you two could go shopping together and get something special; a pretty pillow or pillowcase or throw to make nap-time even more special.Or even a new ritual to get her in the napping frame of mind.If she does get up, just let her know she must stay in her new special bed even if she can't sleep.If you don't correct her she'll assume it's okay and then a problem could develop.Let her have a small stack of books by her bedside that she's allowed to look through until she falls asleep. I've found this tactic to work quite well with all four of my kids(the youngest is now 8). Good luck!

K.
I am a mom of three kids 5, 3, and 17 months, girl, boy, girl. As far as the swap from little bed from big bed I have done this twice. So I am not saying that I am an expert but I did have very good sucess with it I am 2 for 2:) Let me first say that really the only thing that keeps your child in bed is you, your say so, it is an obey issue. They have to stay in their bed because you tell them they have too. It is as simple as that. You put them on the bed and they have to stay there until they are told they can get out. When they wake up they just let you know "Jonny wake up" and then you come in and give them permision to get off of their bed. Sounds simple right, well here is the trick. You must reenforce this, if they get out of bed when they aren't supposed to you put them back in bed tell them "No" but put them back. This is especially important during naptime because there is a good chance that they will get out of bed. My daughter did a lot the first two days anyway. Once she realized that she was going to be put back to bed she, after a while, gave up and stayed on her bed. During nap time you might have to up the punishment put her in time out and then back to bed. You can play "the bed game" where she climbs on the bed and has to practice asking to get out of bed before she does. If you make a game out of it, it can be more fun but she learns the rules at the same time.
Well good luck!
M. C

Make it clear that naps are not optional and try to stick with it. At two, she still should have a really good nap. Get her to run around the playground for a few days before her naptime and consider making her nap later so she is more sleepy. All it will take is getting her in the habit of napping in bed. Lots of kids do and there is no reason for her to give up napping.

If all else fails, I suggest enforcing the idea of "quiet time." If you don't want to sleep, then you must stay in your room (preferably in bed) and read or play with quiet toys like dolls. Set a timer and keep her in her room. Nine times out of ten, she will probably fall asleep. My four year old still takes a nap or has quiet time - it's a likesaver, especially if you have more kids, so don't give up!!

I put off moving my 29 month old into her bed as well thinking the same reasons. She has done really well. Got out once during naptime a few days into it and after I put her right back in she hasn't left again. I was surprised how easily she made the transition. Keep in mind, I'm still dreading a year down the road or so when I think she's going to be out, but at this point I can't believe I waited so long to do something and then she didn't react at all like I thought she would. Good luck!

hello,

I put a gate up in my sons door way and also shut his door, he some times sleeps some times he falls asleep in his bed and some times he plays in his room and falls asleep where he falls!!!

to be honest for me the fact that he is up in his room is good enough for me it is our little break. 9 out of 10 times he will fall asleep. just close the door and put a gate on the outer side of the door jam so you can still close the door.

well have a good day and hope this helps

they will cry and stand at the gate and cry but they will get over it.

well have a good afternoon

id say as long as she is in her room and the room is safe for her to be in alone then put her to bed for her nap (telling her like you always do that it's time for nap) and then close the door. take out any toys that ar not "quiet" toys. leave books and stuffed animals if she has them but remove those toys that talk and are loud. if she isnt sleeping at last it's quiet time for her and if she truely is tired then she will pass out playing or "reading" on the floor or in her new bed before nap time is up. my friiends kids have been doingthis sense thy were born and now at 2 and 3 ask for bed when they are ready and knowthe drill and it works for them well.

Dear K.~
We switched our son to a toddler bed at 2. It took him a while to learn he could get out of bed...but usually when he awoke at night, he just cried for us to come to him...still does at 2 and a half.
As for putting them to sleep, we have a routine...for naps too (although not as long) ending up with a book or two WHILE HE"S LAYING DOWN. Then we turn off lights, draw curtains, put on music, and I will stay in his room (out of his direct eye sight while lying in bed) for 10 minutes or until a certain song on the sleep CD, to make sure he's still lying down.
With that routine, I can force him to sleep around 1pm. He fights naps so sometimes he does without and gets an early bedtime.
Naps at this stage are frustrating. I know he should be getting them, but he doesn't want them, and seems to okay without sometimes. Confusing. I actually use the threat of a nap to get good behavior (especially the late afternoon crabbies). If he can't pull it together, he's probably tired so I put him down for a nap. But many times he does improve and stops whining, etc.
The other thing that happens is I'm starting to do quiet time in his room about 3pm, (Because I NEED a nap) telling him when he gets tired he can go to bed..taking toys to bed, etc. Sometimes I go to get him up after an hour and he's in bed asleep! Hooray! Maybe some of these ideas will help. Good luck.

My daughter was an awesome napper until we moved her into a toddler bed at 2 1/2 so I know how challenging it can be. She has always stayed in her bed at night but during the day she would get out of bed and find anything she could to occupy herself so she didn't fall asleep. I tried leaving her in the room for the designated nap time to only find her room trashed and a tired child on my hands. The only thing I have found to work is to stay in the room with her at nap time. I know this is time consuming but it has worked for us. I lay on her floor and a read a book to myself until she falls off to sleep and then I quietly leave. I explain to her that it is quiet time and she cannot talk to me, play, etc. If she still has trouble falling asleep I rub her back until she is out. I usually get a good 2 hour nap out of her with this menthod.

K.,

Our 2 oldest are 14 mos apart. We have always had financial issues, and did not see the need to purchase 2 cribs. We switched our daughter to a daybed (we already had) when our son was outgrowing the bassinet. We will be doing the same thing with our next two (they will be about 13 mos apart, and will be putting our daughter in the toddler bed that we have when our son, coming in Aug, will be outgrowing his bassinet.) It may take some time, but she will get adjusted. You just tell her to stay in her bed, and yes, keep her there the entire naptime, even if she doesn't go to sleep. Try not to get too frustrated if she doesn't go to sleep at first. Good luck & God bless!

Hi K.,

Your question is: What to do about naps?

My questions are: Do you have a regualarly scheduled nap time for your girl? Do you have a regularly scheduled length of time for the naps?

The Next question is: Do you have a regularly scheduled bed time for your girl?

If the answers are yes, then the problem you may encounter is to put her back in bed until she learns the house routine.

Hope this helps. Good luck. D.

My little one is turning 3 in a week, and he still takes at least a 2 hour nap each day. There have been times in the last year when I thought he was trying to phase out the nap. I would put him in his room or bed, and leave him there, but hear him playing for 3 hours. I found that as long as I was consistent with putting him down for a nap each day, and leaving him there for the nap time he worked out of it, and after a week or so started to nap well again. (This worked for us because he was not the kind of kid that cried wanting to get out.) Good luck.

I would suggest that you keep her in her room for the entire nap period. Maybe check up on her and keep putting her in bed if she strays. I had a hard time getting my son to sleep in his toddler bed and had to sit in my room to catch him every time he ran out of his. If she stayed in her bed she would probably fall asleep eventually, but maybe you could teach her that she has to stay in bed even if its just for quiet time.

With both my children I did "quiet time" during naptime. My son 2 1/2 still takes a nap. But will read or play a couple of minutes before falling asleep(in his room/bed). My daughter 5 still has quiet time in her room. Their quiet time/naptime usually lasts about 2 hours.
I would keep the regular nap time/schedule. Let her take a couple of books and a doll/toy to bed with her. Either way, whether she sleeps or not you both are getting the down time you need. It keeps them on a good routine.
Good luck