Keep putting him back?

Question

So my 17mo. son is in a real bed, not a crib. Usually he stays in bed and goes to sleep for the night or takes a nap. Right now though I've had to put him back in bed about 4-5 times for a nap and he won't stay. All I say is "take a nap" when I put him back. Should I keep doing that untill he gives up or just ignore him. His room is safe.

I kept putting him back for about an hour but got a headache and was getting mad so I just let him out for a few minutes thinking maybe he wasn't tired. Well, he was so I finally got the packnplay and put it in the middle of his room and put him in there for a nap, he was mad but he's asleep now. Thank God!

He has a book and stuffed toys in his bed which usually occupies him. We missed the usual naptime this morning so I think he was overtired. O well.

Answer 1

My son was a bit older when we started the big bed. But we did it a bit differently. I think we started out the way you are doing it, but decided it wasn't working. His room was child proofed. We put the safety knobs on the closet doors, and on the inside of his room door so he couldn't get out, and he has a monitor in there as well. So we felt pretty good about it. So we will tell him, Nap Nap, or Night Night, and that's it. We put him in bed, and leave the room. If he gets up he was up, and it got to be a shorter and shorter period of time. Now, he's gotten to where he gets in his bed lays there and cries, but he isn't getting out. Sometimes he does, but it's just for a bit. He always goes back and gets into his bed to sleep.

Like I said, it's childproofed, and he's on monitor, so we know he's okay.

Answer 2

Put him in his bed and give him something quiet to occupy himself...a favorite book or soft toy. Tell him that he does not have to sleep, but he has to stay in bed.

Since most little ones that age really do need the nap, the quiet time will calm him and he will most likely drop off to sleep.

Don't ignore him and don't allow him to get up until a certain time. He needs to learn the discipline of your schedule and that you mean what you say. It's a good primer for teaching them to tell time too.

Try this. Get a toy clock with movable hands. Set it to show what time naptime is over. Then put a real clock in his room and tell him that when the real clock (point it out) matches the toy clock, it's okay to get up. When you do this, tell him what time that will be. If he is still awake at that time, and gets up, let him stay up.

Using this method, my son was pretty good at telling time by age 3.

Answer 3

Around 18 months, most kids drop their morning nap. For us it was hard because he was too awake to nap but very cranky to deal with during the adjustment period. But we made it. If your son is still taking two naps, consider eliminating the morning one. Then move the afternoon one up to right after lunch - chances are he'll be toast and go to sleep with little issues.

If he continues getting out of bed in his afternoon nap or at night, continue being firm and saying "you need to stay in bed, it's time to sleep". Keep a poker face and don't hang around to turn the music on or get another teddy or anything.

I had issues with my son coming out of his room, he has always been trained since moving to a "big bed" to stay in it and call for me if he needs anything. It worked great until right before my daughter was born. I had to break it then and I tried reward charts, spanking, music, babygate, etc. Finally one night I literally sat outside his room for two hours and every time he opened the door, he got a quick swat on the rear and I stood in the doorway while he got himself back into bed (he was 2 1/2 at the time), I didn't even give him the satisfaction of tucking him back in. After that night, I had to do a repeat a week later but have not had any problems since, I think he finally figured out that there are many battles to pick and this one he is just going to lose.

Answer 4

Sometimes they just aren't tired enough. After that many times, I think I'd just give up for today and put him to bed a little earlier tonight.
I put my twins in beds at 18 months, and sometimes I had to lie on the floor between their beds until they actually went to sleep or at least settled down. As long as it isn't very often, it's kind of nice for mom to get a bit of a nap, too.

Answer 5

I caught part of a Supernanny once where they were showing this exact same problem. She said that the first time they get up, tell them "no, it's time for bed" in a quiet voice, don't turn the lights on or anything, second time, do the same, and from then on, don't say a word and just pick them up and put them back in bed as many times as it takes for them to finally stay there. They will quickly learn that they won't get by with it and stay there on their own. It seemed to work pretty well and I tried it a couple of times with my little girl and she got the message. Keep doing what you're doing and hopefully it will work!

Answer 6

I he tired enough to need a nap first of all? Around that age some children's body's sleep needs change some. Not that they don't need a nap still, just the time they need it is different.
If he is tired enough then I would say just leave him be, unless you can tell he is just in there having a party. When my daughter is having a party in her room, i tell her if I hear her again I'll come in and take whatever it is she is playing with. That generally makes her quite down real quick.

Answer 7

i had a similar problem today except my son is in a crib. he wouldn't go to sleep, he kept crying. usually he just lasy down and goes to sleep with no problem. after 20 minutes, i just brought him down and we'll just do one nap today instead of two. maybe he's just not tired. when i brought my son down i made sure not to cuddle him or play with him for a half hour so he wasn't necc. being rewarded for crying in his crib.

aren't there times when you're just not tired even though you should be? maybe try putting him down in another hour.

Answer 8

i believe naps are real important for infants and toddlers. i think if you keep putting him back until he gives in is a really good idea. its letting him know that nap time means nap time. if you allow him to play when you're telling him "take a nap" he won't take you seriously. just be firm. you'll be okay. good luck..

Answer 9

be firm when he gets up go put him back with out saying a word. he will get the idea and lay down if need be sit in a chair in his room til he falls asleep

Answer 10

you can keep putting him back, and if he doesnt sleep, tire him out, walk him, play with friends, run a lot, and hell get tired, then just sleep him and you pretend to sleep if he doesnt want to and hell go to sllep, lay by him wbhen you do that, hell think your asleep ccause he thinks your asleep, and you also get a bit of sleep too.