Bedtime at our house is about 8:30pm. We get started around 7:45pm with a bath (or a shower in Audrey's case), getting cozy in pajamas, then quiet reading, then we brush teeth, take fluoride, turn on the four snow globe music boxes (simultaneously), say prayers, one last hug and kiss, tuck in, and then it's lights out. This is our routine. The routine.
It works well.
Or, at least it used to work well.
It worked well until Audrey discovered that she could open her door. We've been here before – a bedtime hurdle. First it was getting her to sleep through the night. Then it was getting her used to her big girl bed. She's been doing pretty well with it. But now she has figured out that she can open doors, she seems to think that that means she can get up anytime she gets the urge... which is often. Like every few minutes.
Things were going so well before she knew she could open doors – she rarely got up, but now she really likes to creep out of her room and stand in the hallway until we acknowledge her. Then she cocks her head to the side and smiles in her charming way, hoping it will be enough for us to invite her into our room to play or read one more bedtime book or cuddle in front of the TV.
This isn't difficult – on paper.
In theory all we need to do is be consistent and firm and just keep putting her back into her bed until she stays.
The wrench in our scenario is Luke.
If we are firm with Audrey she starts to cry and when she starts to cry she starts to scream and when she screams she wakes up Luke. And when Luke wakes up to screaming he has a hard time going back to sleep and then staying asleep for the rest of the night. So if we force the issue with Audrey it's a rough night for everyone. But if we don't force the issue with Audrey she very quickly learns some bad habits of staying up late and then it will make the process of getting her to go to bed even longer. It's quite the pickle that we're in.
And before you suggest using one of those plastic door knob covers that are supposed to be child proof, we tried. They may be child proof but they are not Audrey proof. I put one on and within just a few minutes of her rattling the knob she was standing in the hallway. I thought that maybe it was just a fluke... until I tried it again... and she did it again. Seriously.
Oh, and I tried a different version of the child proof door knob covers - she's two for two folks!
So if anyone has any suggestions for getting a toddler (who may or may not be a genius) to stay in her bed at night, I would love to hear them!
3 comments:
Hey! We're going through this SAME problem with my almost 3 yr. old right now. We tried taking away things: light, stuffed animal, privilege the next day, etc. Negative reinforcement wasn't working, so we tried the opposite and it's working like a charm! We got some princess dolls from Wal-Mart and made a simple chart with 4 squares. If she stays in bed, she gets a sticker in a square. After 4 stickers she gets to pick a doll. We let her see the doll and touch the box and remind her often about how she can get the doll, etc. She's already gotten two dolls and the past 4 nights I have done nothing and she still stayed in bed. When she gets out again I'll do another sticker chart, maybe 5 or 6 nights this time. Hope it helps! :)
I have no idea, but I like what "Trent and Amber" said! :) I think you should try the chart.
I'm going to have to remember that so remind me in about 2 years, K?!
When I moved my two year old to a big girl bed I started by putting a baby-gate up. I still closed her door, but once she got up to open it, there was another barrier. She screamed about that for about a month - though pretty much only at naptime, and then she stopped. And now I don't need the gate anymore. She just gets tucked in, we say goodnight, and she stays put.
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