my 2 year old does not want to sleep in his crib.?

Question

2 things

he does not want to take his afternoon nap. screams TODAY he finally climbed out of his crib and was at the door trying to open it.

so what do i do. how do i get him to stay in his bed. and what do i do about him climbing out of his crib. and screaming when he has tto go to bed.

do i turn the locks around so i can lock him in his room so at night he isnt going though the house i dunno i need some help.

Answer 1

We put our daughter in her toddler bed at about 18 mos. She had an accident where she tried to climb out of her crib and actually fell out (scared me to death). So we moved her into our room on a toddler bed. She would still scream and cry and I felt so bad, so I talked to her pediatrician and she told me to just leave her in the bed and let her cry and when she came out of the room or off her bed, to simply put her back on her bed without giving her eye contact or any sympathy or words (even harsher!), but we tried it. Since she slept in our bedroom we put her to bed much earlier than what time we actually wanted to get to sleep. The first night was pretty rough and I was ready to give in and go console her, but I didn't and about 3 hrs later she was asleep. The next night was lots easier..she was asleep in less than an hour. The third night she went in and got on her bed and pulled up the covers and was ready for bed! I was amazed.
When it was time to move her out of our room we went and bought her a new toddler bed with her and let her pick it out and made a big deal of her BIG GIRL bed...then we set it up in her NEW BIG GIRL room and when night came she was excited to sleep in her new bed. Good luck

Answer 2

Sorry to hear things have been slightly difficult with your son at the mo.
I have a 3 and a half year old daughter who went through this.
First of all im a tad confused as you have mentioned about him being in his bed then in a crib? If he's in a crib then maybe it's time to put him into a toddler bed? This may encourage him to stay in bed? You could make a fuss and say what a big boy he is now that hes in a bed. Also have you ever tried to read him a story? If you haven't try reading a story to him from a boy but make sure the lights are down low it'll set the mood and let him know that this is whats going to happen at bed time. If non of this fails then i guess u just need to be patient and everytime he gets out of bed you need to put him sttraight back in again and say its bed time night night. This DOES tend to work but alot of parents end up getting frustrated and start shouting. You need to keep your cool (i know from experience thats hard) as in time it WILL pay off i promise you.
As for afternoon naps. I think now he is at the age where he doesnt need them anymore. Some 2 year olds do but from the sounds of it your little one doesn't. And if he doesn't then thats fine. My little girl stopped havin afternoon naps when she was 13 months old where as my sister's little boy stopped having them when he was nearly 3 years old. So it really does vary within the child. I do think though that from the sounds of it he doesn't need a nap during the afternoon.

Answer 3

What happened to the good ole days when mothers put babies to sleep and not just put them in a bed or a crib and abandon them, or worse lock the door and imprison the baby in his/her room. 'Let them cry it out? A baby is a baby and will grow out of parents soon enough. Why not really enjoy the first few years with real skinship and kinship. In Japanese there is a saying, 'Sansai no tamashi, hyaku ma-de'. Rough translation, ' A child's perrsonality is formed by the time he's three and will not change till he dies.' A child left to his own devices or to 'cry it out' will not learn to trust anybody, least of all his parents.
It is common knowledge that most children are deathly afraid of the dark, and they are deathly afraid of being left alone, (Hence all the goblins under the bed stories.)
Please, for the mental health and well being of the child, cuddle him, sing to him, read to him, smother him with love. Wait till he falls asleep and very quietly slip away, but always keep the baby (a two year old is still a baby) within earshot so that you can hear his breathing. If he wakes up, go to him comfort him. Assure him mama is right there and that everything is all right.
Really, enjoy the few years that your child really needs you. Believe me, it won't be long before the only time your kid even acknowledges your existence is when he wants the car keys.

Answer 4

If he is climbing out of his crib it might be time for a big boy bed. I let my son pick out the bedding that he liked and made a huge deal about him being in a big boy bed. Because of this he loved to sleep in his bed. You also need to be firm and consistent at this stage with him. Have a bed time routine and stick to it. Let him know that getting out of bed is not an option and that he needs to sleep when you put him there for his naps or bed time. He is at the age where he will start to push the limits to see how far you'll let him go. This is natural though frustrating when your dealing with it. Just hang in there and it will pass. Good Luck.

Answer 5

Oh the joy of having a toddler!!! I have a 3 year old, who HAS to share her bedroom with her 2 sisters, aged 11 and 8!!! you think you have problems with him getting out of his crib?? get this...
my daughter never managed to get out of her crib she would shake it until she had nudged it over to her sisters bed and then climb out!! at least she had a soft landing! when i moved the crib and secured it so that she couldn't move it, she ripped the bars/ wooden poles off the side of the crib out!! now she still sleeps in her crib but its like a bed. although at the moment she has taken to sleeping in the under bed drawer!!! she is obviously comfortable and doesn't wake up during the night, once she is asleep that is. I have made the bedroom VERY child safe. have put a baby gate on the bedroom door and i let her choose a video to watch.at the moment we are going threw a Sponge Bob Square Pants phase. so far so good. my problem is how to stop her waking her sisters up!!!!

Answer 6

Look I dont think it is easy at all I have just gone through the same thing myself. But the only thing you can do is put him to bed and if he gets out then put him back in. Its a battle of the wills but I am sure you will win. I have to be honest it was really hard and i think i cried more than my boy did but you must stay firm if you really want to obtain your goal. What helped with my son was getting a colourful buzz lightyear bed and convincing him that it was a special place just for him. I would suggest a bed would be better than a cot but work with what you have. Good Luck I hope it goes well :)

Answer 7

Yes. Big problem. I had the same thing with my first son. I put him in a toddler bed so he wouldn't fall crawling out of his crib. THEN, I took his door off his room and installed a screen door there instead. I put a lock on the outside. He could see out, but not get out. He slept on the floor a lot for a few weeks, but eventually began to stay in bed. I knew he was safe, anyway. He'll outgrow this. Give him a warm bath, read him a bedtime story, tuck him in bed, and leave. If he screams, ignore it for at least 15 minutes. If he is still screaming, go in, give him some milk, rock him for 10 minutes, and then tell him good night and go out again for another 15 min. Eventually, he'll fall asleep.

Answer 8

Make a big deal about him being such a big boy that he can have a "big bed" now and take him out to chose and buy one.

Get him to help you make it up.

Have a bedtime routine - maybe something along the lines of - bath/shower, then jarmies and into bed with a warm drink whilst you read him a story, all the time praising him for being such a big, clever boy.

Now comes the hard part...leave, if he gets out tell him "It's bedtime" and put him back. If he gets out again - don't speak to him or make eye contact, just put him back to bed.

Repeat until he falls asleep.

Ditto tomorrow...and tomorrow...and tomorrow...eventually (hopefully sooner rather than later)he will get the message.

He needs to know that HE is the child in this relationship and YOU are the adult and therefore in charge!

Answer 9

You just have to block it off so he can only get to you, and not the rest of the house. And then put him back into his bed. Doesnt matter how many times he comes out of his room. He needs to go back into him bed, tell him to go to sleep and leave him.

Eventually he'll get used to nap time and sleep time.

He's aweful old to be sleeping in a crib anyway.

Answer 10

You certainly don't lock him in his room. A two-yr-old is too big for a cot. Put him in a bed, and really big it up - 'Look at you! What a big grown-up boy in a bed!' etc, and get him a funky duvet set, and a bunch of toys to put round his pillow. Also get a bed-guard with a interesting picture on, and maybe a mobile, some music, and nightlight - and the door open. When you put him to bed, read him a story, and set up a routine, take it very easy, and don't get angry or stressed because he will react by getting upset himself.

Answer 11

Perhaps he doesn't need a nap anymore! 2 year olds don't always need one. He needs to move to a bed as he can get out of his crib. Put a stairgate across his door to stop him escaping. You will also have to train him to stay in bed. Have a good routine and persist. Just put him back without much interaction if he gets up.