Seeking Advice on Keeping Twins in Toddler Beds

Updated on March 31, 2009
D.B. asks from Manhattan, KS
12 answers

Ok Mamasoursce mama's. I have now 21 month old twin boys, Tanner and Taylor. About 3 weeks ago Taylor learned how to climp out of his crib. I kept scolding him and putting back in. I finally decided last Tuesday to put him in his toddler bed(crib converted into one), thinking that I would do one kid at a time. Well the only issue was that Tanner saw that Taylor could get out of bed very easy and so Tanner would just sit in his crib and scream and not go to sleep. So I converted Tanner's too. Well ever since then, everytime I lay them down for naps or for bedtime, I have to go in there 30-40 times to scold them(tell them its night-night time, do non't get out of your bed)and then normally they will finally go to sleep. Does anyone have any advice on keeping them in there beds? I feel like I am at my last witts end. When I put my almost 4 year old in his toddler bed it only took a few times to get the staying in your bed concept. So any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

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R.S.

answers from Kansas City on

I think the Supernanny technique would be good here. Put them in bed, tell them good night and leave the room. If you see or hear them out of bed put them back and leave again. Repeat and Repeat. Will probably take some patience and a little time, but eventually the realize it isn't working and just stay in bed.

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C.W.

answers from Kansas City on

I had to do the supernanny approach with our 3 year old and it was exhausting, BUT the reward is it worked....

I also added a twist now, a 30 min before bedtime, I have him start winding down by watching one of his video's, this is his tv time because he 'vege's' out, so it starts him winding down, then after the video, we tuck him in say good night, put on soft music (cd called baby go to sleep, has a heart beat in the music so it is also soothing). We shut his door and walk out...

Most of the time it works and when it doesn't, back to supernanny approach!

1 mom found this helpful
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L.K.

answers from Kansas City on

The Supernanny approach worked for me, but you do have to be consistent, and it's exhausting until it takes, but it does work. When they get out of their beds, you pick them up and put them back in their beds, saying only "It's naptime" (or, "It's bedtime.") When they get out again, and they will, of course, you don't say anything. You just pick them up and put them back. Then, repeat until they finally stay in their beds. You may have to do it 30 or 40 times, like you mentioned. So...you will be exhausted, but in the long run it will be bliss! Good luck and good stamina! I've been there.

1 mom found this helpful
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K.C.

answers from Wichita on

I don't have twins, but I always used a baby gate for my boys. You may have to exparament with different gates (pressure & hardware). My oldest wouldn't shake a pressure gate, but my youngest would shake down any pressure gate he touched. So we had to use a hardware mounted gate when he went to a toddler bed.

God bless!

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K.O.

answers from Wichita on

As a mother of twin boys, I agree with Millie. If they are to share a room (as mine did and still do), they are bound to "set each other off." If is far better to ensure that the room is safe and that there are quiet toys and books to play with. Then, let it go. They will fall asleep and will often fall asleep on their beds. It is far easier and less stressful than going into their room hundreds of times. To them it is a game to watch mom get stressed out. IF you ignore their giggles and play, they will settle down and go to sleep. Good Luck! Aren't twins so much fun? Mine are now nine and still share a room and are best buddies! My oldest and youngest are also boys and they get along fairly well too! K.

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K.B.

answers from Wichita on

Good Morning D., I haven't looked at other posts yet so here is my advice. I watched Super Nanny the other evening and they were having twins get used to sleeping in their own beds also. (one slept with mom one with dad)What they did was to keep the same routine, bathes, stories, kisses prayers, whatever you do normally. Put the boys in their beds and you sit in the floor not facing them, first time one gets up place them back in bed staying it's bed time. Next time just put them back with out saying anything, not a word. Sit down again and repeat until they fall asleep. Same thing next night. The first night mom sat there for 90 minutes until the finally conked out. Dad the second night was there 30 minutes.
They had the twins staying in their own beds after 2 or 3 nights.

Hope you get good advice and somethings works well for you.

God Bless
K. Nana of 5

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M.N.

answers from Kansas City on

What my daughter does with her twins is put up a baby gate acrosss their door and make sure the room is play safe for them and put them to bed bout half hour early,to allow some play time. And don't be suprised to find them asleep in each others bed, both in one bed or even asleep on the floor or in a toy box. When they are asleep put them in their own beds if you want and don't stress about it.
good luck
M. N

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R.H.

answers from St. Louis on

My babies aren't twins, but they are only 18 months apart. Anyway, I moved my youngest into his toddler bed when he was 15 months old because my oldest kept climbing into the crib with him and saying that she wanted to be a baby, too. Well, they are now 20 months and 3 years old and, as you can imagine, they do get out of their beds at naptime and bedtime. As long as they are not being too loud, we will let them play for a bit doing this until they eventually fall asleep. They almost always fall asleep in their own beds, although I have caught one in the other ones bed but as long as they were asleep, I didn't really care, I just moved them back to their own bed while they were sleeping so that they woke up in their own bed. I have also given them books while they are in their beds and told them that it is "quiet time" and that as long as they are in their beds and reading quietly, they didn't have to take a nap. 99.9% of the time, they fall asleep, they stay in their own bed, and they stay quiet. Hope this helps!

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K.G.

answers from St. Louis on

With our son, we put the childproof door knob on the inside of his door. He knows that we will not go in there. He plays by himself for a while, but he always falls asleep.
When his friends come over and need to take a nap, we just go about our regular routine... pray, sing, lay him down, close the door, walk out. It does take a while for them both to settle down, but they always do.

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J.S.

answers from St. Louis on

If their rooms are babyproofed well enough, put safety locks on the doorknobs, explain it's nap time and close the door. They will play and probably fall asleep on the floor a few times, but then learn to just stay in bed. Worked for 2 of my kids! I did always open the door up at night when I was about to go to sleep so they could come in my room when they woke up. Good luck!

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M.J.

answers from Kansas City on

When sharing a room, I think it's just how kids are :) I have boys that are 14 mos apart- they are 4 and 5 now. They still talk and sometimes get out of their beds! They have to see how much they can get away with! It gets better with time- soon the excitement of being ABLE to get out will not be quite so exciting!

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S.V.

answers from St. Louis on

Hi D.,

I have a 3-yr-old boy, a 2-yr-old girl, and newborn girl. I can tell you what I have done.... oh and one way wont work forever, sometimes after a while you have to switch it up...

Things I have done together or separately or at different stages in their lives:

**baby gate on door
**sing songs until they fall asleep or tell them bible stories or made-up stories (sometimes this would take over an hour)
**just keep going back in and putting them back in their bed and leaving over and over til they sleep (takes a long time)
**later nap time / bed time
**wake them up earlier in the morning
**avoid sugar hours before they sleep, and tank them up with a full belly of non-sugar food before they sleep
**let them cry and tell them that when they are done crying I will come in and say gnight to them, then I would after they finished crying over bed time / nap time

Whatever you do, remember to be consistent with your rules and your routines. If you have to change up your schedule, be consistent with that schedule for a few weeks to try it out and see if it helps before changing your schedule again.

I'm sure there are more too that I can't think of... just do what it takes I guess.

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