Hello Moms! Our sweet almost-24-month old son has developed a new game every night. He will throw out his blanket and stuffed animals, anything and everything, and then cry for us to come in and put them back in his crib. If we ignore him, the crying escaltes to screaming, and will go on for up to an hour. This will happen several times a night and has been going on about 2 weeks now. Sometimes we will ignore the screaming in the earlier hours (say, until midnight), but it's hard to ignore at 3am or 4am, so we always end up giving in and giving him back his toys, in which case he will quiet down and fall asleep. Has anyone else experienced this and what did you do?
I have the same issue, except my son (26 months) wants to be tucked in 4 more times before he falls asleep. I'm just happy that he's not trying to get out. Sometimes he'll wake up at 2am and doesn't want to be tucked in... just wants to lay down with mommy & daddy. it's tough. i don't have much advice... just in the same boat =) this too shall pass.
I havent experienced this in particular, but I have experienced the CONTROL GAME. Thats exactly what he is playing.
My son is 2yrs and 9months and he plays the CONTROL GAME by screaming for us to come fix his blanket or cover him. Over and over and over again, lasting well into an hour. We had tried everything except letting him scream it out until he falls asleep. I can do that but my husband gives in. So I have sent him into the other room and I tell my son that I am only going to cover him once and he must lay still so the covers dont move. And he does that. Now this took a few weeks of lecturing every night. He is now sleeping thru the night w/ out waking and he has gone 3nights w/ out this Control Game when we lay him down. I reward him in the morning w/ gum or a sticker...whatever. I make a big deal of it and tell him I am proud.
Thing is, he, just like your son, KNOWs we will come in and help him. He is getting the attention just as he wants. Even if he gets a spanking or hollered at along w/ the help. Its totally worth it to get our attention and what they want.
So my advice is to stop playing his game. Give him his stuff. Tell him do not throw it out. And after he does it the first time go in and remind him that he is NOT allowed to throw his stuff out and that you will NOT be back in to retrieve it. The 2nd time he throws it out, thats it, it stays. He will get the message real quick when he will have to sleep with out. (my son only screamed for 15mintues and fell asleep. it will help if you make sure he is super tired too) YOu can also limit the stuff in his crib as well. 1 blanket, 1 toy. And cover him when you go to bed.
Good luck. I hope it works for you.
R.,
My son kind of did that as a way of telling us that he wanted the big bed like his sister. I believe that around the age of 2 is when the crib should be gotten rid of, but that's just my personal opinion. Both my kids never liked staying in bed at that age and would get up to play and then go to sleep in their bed when they were ready. Just a thought, try letting him sleep in a big boy bed. I also don't recommend a toddler bed because you'll just have to buy another bed and sometimes the twin size can be a little scary to some kids who may need the in between size. Both my kids went straight to the twin size bed from the crib. Another idea is that if your crib does it, try taking off one side to make it a day bed and see if he's ok with that. Hope this helps and good luck.
My son used to throw everyone out in the middle of the night, but he never complained about it. However, since he started to climb out himself, we got him a crib tent, and now he can't throw the toys out. Might be a bit expesnive of a solution, though, at about $60.
i'd try moving him out of the crib. he may be protesting his lack of freedom! or the crip tent is good too!
J.
we went through this with the binky. I came up with the 3 strike rule. After the third time returning it, he was out of luck.
Why don't you try removing toys , blankets from the crib full stop?...that way he can't throw them out. He could have a sleeping bag to keep him warm & the crib should be a place for sleep not toys. It seems as though he's only doing it to get your attention anyway.
Good Luck
sounds to me like a little fella who's ready to move out of his crib.
khairete
S.
It's an attention getting control thing. Tell him you're not going to do this anymore, night time or naptime, and whatever he throws out of his crib will stay on the floor til morning, or be taken out of the room altogether. If he continues to wake you up, go into the room take all the toys out of the room as quietly as possible, tell him to go back to sleep.
Yes, he's going to scream his head off. Invest in some good earplugs; you're in for a rough time. Kids are going to try this sort of thing occasionally. Welcome to parenthood! They'll try it less if you let them know you're not going to put up with it. You have to be more stubborn than your kids now, just to show them what life is like when they're grown. Never too early for that, I say!
-S
P.S. 7/11?! Eek! That's why we're AF! [chuckle] We're 5/13, and that's only because the Armed Forces Inaugural Committee was only 9 months, otherwise it would be 4/13.
