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Forum -> Parenting our children -> Toddlers
Moving from crib to toddler bed



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Dvasha




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, Apr 19 2010, 5:36 am
The time has come to move my 3 year old daughter from her crib to a toddler bed. How do I teach her she needs to stay in bed? It is nice now that she can't get out, I am dreading the move and having her get out whenever she wants.
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6coop




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, Apr 19 2010, 8:12 am
When I move my children from cribs to beds, I usually make sure that their room is completely baby-proof and then I put a gate on the door so that they can't come out of their room. They still sometimes come out of bed, but at least this way I'm not dealing with "get back in your room....get back in your room". I do try to get them to stay in bed. I start them out with a couple of books in their bed and I usually have a chart for "staying in bed nicely.", but if they come out ouf bed, it's not the biggest deal because there's nowhere for them to go. I've had kids who fall asleep on the floor next to the gate, but that's not a big deal to me (and we got some really cute pictures out of it!)
Other people just deal with putting their kids back to bed a million times a night. The children usually get the hint if they're consistenly not allowed to wander out.
By the way, every single one of my kids did great for the first night or two (I guess because of the novelty of it) and then started trying to come out or wander the room etc. I still have older kids every single night need to come out of bed a few times before they an settle down. Everyone is different.
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Dvasha




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, Apr 19 2010, 8:16 am
thanks, going to start looking for a baby gat now.
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catonmylap




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, Apr 19 2010, 9:19 am
I was worried about that too.
In fact, we went straight to a regular bed without a guardrail.

And he just stays in his bed, and he usually waits in the morning for someone to get him. (if we are having issues getting him to bed, we turn off the light, and then he cries himself to sleep. If he's good and it's not too late, we let him have the light on and he'll play in his bed.)

It's actually been better than the crib because when he's really tired, he just puts himself to sleep...
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chaylizi




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, Apr 19 2010, 9:25 am
My dd is in a completely toddler proofed room with a baby gate. I still can't keep her in bed. But at least I can keep her in her room. That's really all I can hope for. She does fall asleep eventually. Sometimes in bed, more often on the floor. I move her when I go up to bed.
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Mommeeeeeeee!




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, Apr 19 2010, 12:07 pm
what worked for me at the beginning of the change was keeping the crib around as a threat. only works if you have the space, obviously, and not if the actual crib is converting to a bed. I played up the new bed as a huge deal, a privilege they can enjoy only if they stay in it, with a warning that getting out of bed would result in immediate return to the babyish crib. I've only ever had to follow through once. after a couple of weeks when it's routine, the crib can be moved out.
after that, the way I deal with coming out of bed is by ignoring them but returning them to their bed. meaning, as long as you have taken care of all their needs before bedtime (bathroom, drink, hug, tuck in, etc) they get completely and totally ignored no matter what they do or say - kid comes out of bed, you IMMEDIATELY go deaf, blind, mute and stonelike, don't make eye contact, seal your lips shut, take them by the hand or shoulder and physically put them back in bed. do it over and over without changing it a bit - it might seem like a million times, but I guarantee they will give up eventually, when they see that all they are getting is a brain dead automaton who is programmed to send them right back where they came from without the slightest bit of attention. the thing is, though, you unchill even once, you lose. they will know there is that tiny chance of getting through to you, and and the hope of getting it again will make them keep trying and trying to break you down.
it's worked wonders in our house, but you have to be really, really, really consistent about not interacting with them at all.
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