My son is almost two and a half and he got out of his crib for the first time last week. I got the crib tent and it works as far as keeping him in his crib safely, however, I am going through hell every night at bed time! He cries himself to sleep and it kills me! I literally start getting into a panic a half an hour before bed time because I know he is going to cry and it breaks my heart! I really need some advice from anyone who can help! Thank you!
You might try getting a toddler bed and make him think hes a big boy :) and big boys stay in bed I know its hard to keep them in bed but this worked for me hope it helps good luck
J.,
We moved our boys from their cribs between 14 - 18 months. They would stay in bed and holler for us in the morning, just like they did in the crib. I didn't want to worry about them falling out of the crib.
It's also easier to stay by their bed and help them sleep, if needed. Reading books before bedtime is also a lot easier and more comfortable.
Good luck.
~K.
Good luck.
~K.
I absolutely agree with the big boy bed. My daughter has been in one since January and she seldom gets out of bed at night. She was only 27 months. She usually calls for me to come get her and take her to the potty if she wakes up in the middle of the night. Also, something that seems to work for both of my girls, 18 months and 3 years, is give them time announcements. We do not follow a specific routine or bedtime, but I always announce 20 mins til bedtime and down from there in 5 min increments. Then we brush teeth, potty and change into nighttime diaper, collect any blankies and stuffed animals needed and go to bed. There is very little fight about it anymore.
I second the big boy bed idea. Also, do you have a routine in place? A set consistent routine can be a lifesaver - it lets your child know what is coming and helps ease the transition. For my daughter, it includes putting on jammies, brushing teeth, reading stories, and cuddles. She also has a CD player in her room for playing lullaby music. And a night light.
I know it's easier said than done, but try not to get too worked up about his crying. He might be more upset about his ability to climb out being thwarted than anything else. The more stressed out you are, the more he is going to pick up on that. Just be cheerful and matter-of-fact. Give him one kiss after he is in bed and tell him, "Night night, I'll see you in the morning!". Then GO. If he cries he cries. He'll be fine. He needs his sleep.
Ditch the crib tent. You are eventually going to have to move him over into a toddler or twin bed. Probably within the next 6 months to a year. Is it worth straining to get an extra few months of crib before moving him over to a bed? For me, the answer is unequivocally no. You'll still have to deal with teaching him to stay in bed, but at least he'll be able to safely get out of bed.
Have you thought about moving him into a toddler bed? We kept our older son in his crib until he was 3 because he loved it and because we were moving so we figured why change before the move when we can just change after. BUT, we really thought he stayed in his crib extra long, compared with other kids we knew. You can frame it for him that sleeping in a big boy bed is a real privalege, and hopefully that will convince him to stay in bed and not get up to play. But, I dare say, a few episodes of getting out of bed may be better than nightly panic attacks for you!
Good luck!
P.S. I just read the other answers and wanted to respond to the mom who suggested letting him sleep with you. I don't recommend it. Unless this is something you really want, and want to continue for a long time. It is one of those habits that is much easier to start than to stop, so I would think carefully about it before going with it.
You might try letting him sleep with you. It might help everyone sleep better. I know people have strong feelings (pro and con) about "cry it out" but I am not in favor of it. I understand that children have to learn to cope with various things, but somewhere I read a question: if a person you love is in the next room crying (adult or child) would you leave them there to cry or go help? And the main thing about sleep seems to be teaching a child that s/he is safe and will be okay. Just something to consider. Maybe your child needs more cuddling time with you or something. Good luck--everyone needs to sleep!
Have you considered a toddler bed or a big boy bed with rails? That might be harder work getting him trained to stay there at first, but seems much less traumatizing for him to be stuck under the crib tent. It would freak me out too!
Good luck-
