How do I train a 2 year old to stay in bed now I've removed the sides to his cot??

Question

My 2 year old is used to a cot at the moment but even with the matress at the lowest level setting he's now able to attempt to climb over the sides of the cot thus endangering himself.
I am thinking of taking the sides off of the cot but am unsure of how to train a little boy who's not yet talking and certainly not able to understand reasoning.
Of course, there's some security measures I need to do first like ensuring the drawers on his chest of drawers are locked, the wardrobe doors are locked and the gate is up outside his door!

Help! I'm thinking this is going to be a nightmare and I feel totally unprepared for yet more sleepless nights with a 2 year old given the freedom of his room!!

Answer 1

I did this with my son. He also tried to get over the sides of the cot. I think his bed time routine helps. He knows when it's time to go to sleep that way. I will bath him, dress him in his pjs, give him a warm milk, then put him into bed and read him stories. I put a safety gate across the bedroom door too. The trick is to ignore their naughty behaviour. ie if my son kept getting up going to the gate I would ignore for 5Min's then take him and put him into bed. The next time I would do it for ten and so on. He has a small plug in night light but everything else is dark so not really tempted to play. If he does I ignore this. You may have to suffer the early mornings for a while though just don't go in until he goes quiet. This is where the gate also helped. A two year old on your head a about 6am is not nice lol. You know when they cry and it's for attention and you know the cry when something is wrong.I must say if you do this he will prob fall out for a week or so. I just put pillows on the floor next to his cot bed. You will be fine. Show him you are strong and this is what is going to happen. Each little step forward is hard but you do it. Good Luck not that you need it as I'm sure you will be fine any probs feel free to e.mail me.

Answer 2

Once he can climb over his cot, he can prob climb over his safety gate. Either way he's safer without the rails as he'll just get tangled up with them.
He's growing up and its all part of it. He can understand a certain amount even though he can't talk, and you have to explain anyhow, or he never will understand.
You'll prob find he does a certain amount of wandering around. Make sure he can climb stairs as he needs to be safe on them, ie teach him to go down backwards with his hands on the steps in front of him. Remove toys from his room, give him a relaxing bath at night, and read him a story (or two).
After a few weeks he'll get the idea. Good luck.

Answer 3

He is not ready to be in a bed yet. If he cannot talk yet, it is very advisable to keep him in his cot. Put the cot mattress at the highest level with the railing up. That will hopefully keep him secure in his cot. You should probably seek your doctors advice on your child not talking. He might need to go to speech therapy.

Don't think it is going to be a nightmare your not alone many other parents go through what you are going through. Go to your doctor and see how things go from there. Good luck.

Answer 4

I've been through this 4 times. Here is the only thing that works. You put the child to bed and tell him he is to stay in his bed. Believe me, even though he is only 2, he understands what you are saying. He will keep getting out of bed. The first time he gets up, you remind him to stay in his bed. Each time after that, you simply pick him up and put him back in his bed. Sit outside his bedroom door and keep putting him back in the bed each time he gets out. Don't give in and give him water, stories, etc... It usually takes an hour or so every night until he will fall asleep. Continue this every night for about 4 or 5 nights and trust me, he will realize it is pointless to keep getting up because he is only going to be put back in the bed. It will be an exhausting week for you but so worth it in the end.

Answer 5

1) You also need to bolt the furniture to the wall. You can get furniture anchoring kits at any hardware store. I had a dresser fall on me when I was 8.

2) Consider putting his mattress directly on the floor. He may not be big enough to get in and out of a regular bed safely.

3) Can he get out of his playpen...? If you are really worried that might be an answer.

4) Get one of those play yards that is just a bunch of interlocking gates to surround the mattress?

Other than that you just need the gate on the door and be sure his room is ABSOLUTELY childproof. Then put the baby monitor back in his room so you can hear when he gets up ;-)

Answer 6

Well as long as your child is safe, and there is no toys in his room i am sure it won't take long. My son is just over 2 and he has been sleeping in a toddler bed since about 15 months old. I put a gate up at the door way so he would not get out and destroy the house in the night. It depends on the child. I would say your son sounds like he needs to be in a bed so he will not hurt himself. What i would do is stick to your normal night time routine. Talk to your child about going in a big boy bed. put your son to bed as your would normaly do. if your son get's upset or gets out of bed just simply put him back in his bed and say " bed" and leave the room. you might have to do this over and over... but in the long run he will get used to it. Good luck!

Answer 7

What i had to do when i took my 2 year old twins out of their crib and put them into toddler beds....i had to stand in the doorway of their room telling them over and over again to lay down and go night night, until finally they fell asleep. Sometimes i would sit down at the doorway and when i was there, they wouldnt get up. It takes a LONG time doing this...at least for my kids. They didnt stay in their beds on their own without me for about 2 months almost and i still have to occasionally tell them to go back to bed at night when they decide to try their luck. Good luck on the upcoming move to a big boy bed!!

Answer 8

Don't forget to put a cushion or bolster along the free side of his bed so he doesn't roll out. Once he's asleep he should be OK. If he doesn't sleep through that's a whole different issue and requires a lot of determination from you - check out "Little Angels" by Tanya Byron for help on stay in bed strategies....
And don't be surprised if he ends up in your bed occasionally.

Answer 9

I know how you feel i'm at the same stage. I takke her on hol in england in May she was 18 months and diden't bother to get a travel cot and she could sleep in the pushchair but when we got there we could not fit the pushchair so needed to buy one of them things for the bed so they don't fall out and she sleeped all week without getting out but when came back home she dident sleep in the bed. If she is comming out of the cot anyway you probably have the pasciance to put her back to bed if clims out without talking to her. I know is evil but is for the best.
Good look

P.S. put duvet/mattress if falls out from the sides.

Answer 10

My son is 21/2 and we went through the same stuff. And although you think he doesn't understand, he does more then you know. The trick is not to cave. When ever he gets up, lay him back down. The first few times be nice and gentle about it and explaine why. If he continues to get up, than go up your scale of discipline gradually. He will get the point. My son, now even when he wakes up, doesn't get out of bed until mommy or daddy say that it's time to wake up. he lays there and plays with his toys. So don't give up! consistancey is key!! Be strong and it will be over before you know it.