Getting a Toddler to Stay in "Big Girl Bed"

Love and Logic is great and has helped us in this area. We ask our daughter "do you want your door open or closed" and she says 'open'. Then we say, "I will be happy to leave the door open as long as you stay in your bed." The first time she gets out of bed the door is shut. "I will be happy to open the door once you are asleep" We open it when we go to bed. This has worked great for both girls...We have not had a big issue with this using this technique consistently. We make sure we have gone potty, gotten a drink, have our lovey, etc. before we get in bed to read books. After books, we say a prayer and tuck in. Our loveys are also only for bedtime so my girls look forward to cuddling with their lovey at nap and night time. On the days we are being challenging, we take the lovey away and tell them that the lovey needs sleep too and can't rest when you get out of bed. That has not happened much at all. Hope this helps.

The Super Nanny technique works like this. Follow the same bedtime routine every night. Bath, brush teeth, book, etc. When it is time to go to sleep, give him a hug & kiss, tell him "good night" or whatever phrase you use. When he gets up the first time, take him back to bed, tuck him in, hug & kiss, "goodnight". The second time out of bed take him back to bed, tuck him in, no hugs or kisses, say goodnight. The third time and any after that you return him to bed and say nothing, no hugs, no kisses. This shows him that you won't be "fooled" by his attempts to get up. We used this with my daughter and it worked. She does still try to get up occassionally, but we go right back to the rules. Our son is 21 months old and we will use this technique with him when the time comes - luckily he hasn't learned how to climb out of his crib - yet!

Good luck!

Please do not lock your child in her room as one mom wrote. That is cruel and scary and dangerous. Put up a gate across the doorway where she can see out if you have to. We used this and my son cried a little and then stayed in his bed if we threatened to use it again. This is a hard transition and takes lots of patience!

My doctor has a PHD in child pyshcology. She told us with our first son to turn the lock around on the door to the outside. When they go to bed they have to stay in bed. Make sure there is nothing in her room that is dangerous and they usually cry a night or two then stop. Same as putting them in a crib they can't get out of. I have told friends of this and it also works for their kids. Good Luck. this is a hard phase to get through sometimes.