How do you keep your kids in their rooms?

Question

We will soon be switching my 2 1/2 year old to a twin bed b/c he has a sibling on the way. I hate taking him out of the crib because he sleeps really well there and doesn't ever climb out. When we put him to bed, sometimes he screams and jumps and throws a fit, and sometimes he plays for a while before settling down and going to sleep. It is rare that he just lies down and goes to sleep. I don't know how I'm going to keep him in his bed or even in his room when he switches to the big bed. I think he would climb right over a gate, and shutting the door wouldn't do any good since he could just climb over it. What do you do?

Answer 1

when we switched our daughter to the bed we didn't go with a toddler bed we used a twin bed with railings. and when she got out of bed I just put her back in bed and told her it was time to sleep. i also would read to her so she would settle down. if you want to use a gate get a higher gate if the gate you already have is that low that he can just claim over it. I would also get his bed room to like a theme ( like a character he likes or something like that) so he wants to be in the room.

Answer 2

How would he climb over a door?

Be tough!  Put him in bed, read him a story then tell him it's sleep time.  If he keeps getting out of bed, go back, make no eye contact and put him back in.  Keep doing it and don't give up.  After the first night he will get the message!

Answer 3

We switched our two year old over to his "big boy bed" his toddler bed, when he was about a year old because he climbed out of the crib. He would play and cry and jump on the bed, the doctor said it was because we changed his environment and babies don't like that. So we kept everything the same in his room as to not change it more. I recommend a toddle bed or getting a rail on his twin to keep him from hurting himself if he rolls out.

We would lay our little boy down, cover him up turn out the light and put his night light on. They sell baby gates that are taller than the avg, at babies r us they have a little walk through door so you don't have to step over, the gate is about a foot higher than the normal ones.

They are also at petco. Anyway, he will probably play and jump on the bed and whatever else. We got our little boy up at the same time every morning 8AM nap was at 12 and he got woke up at 230, bed time again at 9. We didn't fold when he was tired and let him sleep longer, it took about two weeks and he went to sleep like normal.  

Answer 4

We have switched all of our kids to toddler beds at 18 mos. We took everything out of the room except the bed and whatever's in the closet. Then we switched our doornobs around and locked them from the outside. That way, they can't get out, but you can get in easily. They also can't lock themselves in. We had that happen before. Good luck!

Answer 5

I would buy a really high gate if you really are thinking of taking that route and not wanting him to climb over it....my parents have a baby gate for their dogs that I cant even get over b/c its too tall.  What about buying him a really cool toddler bed of a character that he likes? Make bedtime fun for him rather than a chore he has to do by using thigs he likes!

Answer 6

Maybe get one of those childproof door k***s, he won't be able to open it.

Good Luck

Answer 7

Have you considered duct tape?