I write this post with the monitor on. Don’t mind me, if I have to excuse myself every few minutes to go put my son back in bed. It has now been 65 minutes of “excusing” myself.
Last week, Little Man discovered that he can climb out of his crib. Honestly, we were surprised that it took this long because frankly, he climbs on everything. But, in his crib he gets paci, “blank”, and doggie. His favorites. So, he hasn’t had any motivation to climb out of his crib. On that fateful day, crib time was over and Little Man moved to the bottom bunk.
If you follow this blog, you will remember that Little Man is our spirited one. I have worked harder on discipline (not sensory) with him than the other two combined. To prepare for this dreaded day of moving to a “big-boy-bed”, I start about six months earlier training the child to sit in a time-out chair. I believe (right or wrong) that this helps in this process. It has taken six months, but Little Man now sits in a chair for two minutes. Let me reiterate – it has taken six months for this to occur!
As so many of us have, I have watched Super Nanny and have learned the tricks of the trade. With a little bit of Biblical tweaking, that is the process that we also follow. First time, place back in bed and say “goodnight”. From the on, just place back in bed. No hugs and kisses or eye contact.
The first night, Little Man did really well – 30 minutes. I believe Daddy put him back in bed 20 times. Then he stayed all night. Next night was about the same. Last night, he had a dirty diaper in the middle of the “going to bed” and it latest 90 minutes.
Tonight – he is testing me for all it is worth (and of course Daddy is gone!) But now…1 hour and 26 minutes after bedtime, I hear…only the tree frogs through the monitor. Oh…there is some stirring. Will he give up and go to sleep or continue to see if Mommy can keep on? Wonder why this post has taken me 30 minutes to write? All of those times I had to “excuse” myself really add up.
If parenting has taught me anything, it has taught me to keep on, keeping on. Parenting truly isn’t for Cowards
I can so sympathize – all my girls have tested the limit when they went to a big bed. My son used to go to sleep alright, but would wake up and come into my bed through the night. I remember when I decided this could not continue and started putting him back in his own bed every time. The first night – 18 times! Then less and less as the week went by. At the end of the week he was staying in his bed all night.
Yep, parenting is not for cowards. Good luck and I do hope he will go to sleep more easily each night.
Been there, done that, have the bags under the eyes to prove it. We finally have some semi-quiet evenings, but there are days when I just want to run and hide under the blankets and pretend I am not here.
LOL…Caitlin started climbing out of her crib at 18mos….several times a night. She would stir in the night and out she came. I ended the sleepless nights with a crib tent. She now is safely tucked into her "silky tent" each night and we all have peaceful slumber. I know that the time will come when I will have to make her sleep in a big girl bed but she is learning some self control in other areas first. I was just too afraid that she would get into something. We love our crib tent…I do have to secure the zipper with a diaper pin though because she learned on night two how to squiggle her little finger in the opening and wiggle the zipper open….she is some kind of determined! Good luck and prayers come your way, I hope you get some peaceful rest very soon.