from crib to bed | Imamother

Simcha100

Sat, Oct 18 2008, 6:22 pm

I have a 2 year old that can be very stubborn and cry for a really really long time. He was like that since he was a baby. At nap time I need to stay in the room until he is at least somewhat sleeping and then slip out. Usually it doesn't take that long. I didn't do this with my other kids. I believe it is good for them to know how to put themselves to sleep without me being in sight. Anyway, I have managed to not do this in the evenings when his sibling(s) are going to sleep at the same time. Now he has learned to get out of his crib by himself, which means we have to switch him to a bed. We tried tonight, he kept on getting up. We tried being strict, sometimes got really upset at him. tried being nice, but when I went to him, if I left he would just scream, and get up even when we put him in his crib with the railing up he kept getting up, cause he knows how. I finally at 11 pm sat outside of the room with my back towards him and he went to sleep but I feel like he won the battle. My husband thinks we should let him cry even if it would be all night, doesn't understand why crying bothers me, but the getting out of bed was not an option even for him.... Any advice?

zigi

Sat, Oct 18 2008, 7:40 pm

dd is a tough cookie. she can be very stubborn. she kept on getting out of bed. I let her run around her room untill she fell asleep. she might have slept on the the floor for a few nights but then she learned that her bed is more comfortable.

Ima2

Sun, Oct 19 2008, 10:29 pm

sometimes, heading a stubborn toddler with a head-butt is a bad idea. It just lends your toddler permission to respond back more heard-headedly. But I think in this situation, you should let him cry. He's old enough that the CIO issues are no longer there. your child knows that when you leave the room, you're still there. he must learn now that what you say goes. If you say stay in bed and he doesn't, there should be consequences! Of course the crying will bother you. He's screaming for his mother! But he has to know that there's a time and place for everything and now it's time to go to sleep.