My 23 month old climbs out of the toddler bed and sleeps by the gate. How long until she stays in it?

Question

She is in day 5 of the transition. She doesn't cry anymore, but still wants to be out of her room.

Answer 1

She's got to stay in her big girl bed.  You can't allow her to sleep on the floor.  She's having anxiety about bedtime and you can't feed into it.  You're going to have to sit on the floor close to her bed but far enough away that she can't touch you and you can't touch her.  You don't talk and you don't make eye contact.  You just sit quietly and wait.  When she gets up,

First time:  Pick her up and put her back in bed. "You have to sleep in your big girl bed...not on the floor."  Say nothing else.

Second time:  Pick her up and put her back in bed.  "Sleep in big girl bed...not on the floor."

Third time:   Put her back to bed.  "Big girl bed."

Fourth time:  Put her back in bed. Say nothing at all.

It's really important that you don't give out more hugs and kisses and that you don't say much when you do this.  You've got to help her get through this anxiety without adding fuel to it.

Answer 2

Maybe the gate reminds her of her baby bed? If her toddler bed doesn't have railing, maybe get one. (of course, it probably already has railing.. i didn't think that until after i typed it)

Her new bed is bigger, and more open, which is probably intimidating. Try moving the bed closer to the gate, and she might eventually sleep in the bed instead? She just knows that she can usually walk anywhere she wants, especially with her crib gone. She'd rather see what Mommy and Daddy are doing, and eventually will decide to sleep in her bed.

Make a big deal about her bed during the day. Play on it, have a few toys on it, maybe you even "try it out" while she's in the room with you. If she sees that you like the bed, maybe she will feel more comfortable too!

Answer 3

Move the bed closer to the gate for now, then see if she stays in it. When she starts sleeping in the bed, gradually move it back to where it was.