Crib to bed transitions HELP

Hi ladies!

I have not been around here since JULY!!! My computer crashed and blah blah blah.

So here is the deal. Both my 2.5 yrs old b/g twins are sharing a room. (the only option right now) sort of...

Anyway they are both climbing out ALL the time... its a safetly issue and a lack of sleep issue. We have had vasoline on the walls/ entire room. I didnt even know that was in there! uggh I'm sure you all know the story. So I am figuring it is time to convert their cribs into a toddler bed(s) so today before nap time my huband took the front(s) off their cribs.

2 hours later after putting them back a billion times--- yelling, saying nothing (i.e super nanny) I'm feeling defeated. Now this is pretty easy because I'm sick- (cough, congestion, tired, overall yucky and crabby) Exactly how my dh feels. uugggh. My poor 4 year old has been put off all weekend.

So any advice? We could finish the other room upstairs and be done with it.. I could have my ds share a room with my other ds.. potential disaster. I'm at a loss and need some support. I work ft and this has been a non enjoyable vaca...

ok sorry enough whining!

I hope everyone else is doing well.

Thanks in advance for any advice!

 

:hug: :hug: Sorry you are sick too! What about crib tents? That's what we did at that age because the girls were just not ready. We waited a few months after they were 3 to try big girl beds and then everything went smooth. Good luck!

 

Seriously 27 views and NO HELP???? I know this is such an overposted issue but please???

We ended up turning the cribs around with the open side against the wall. They can get out but seemed to help. They took a very short nap after crying for a long time.

They went to bed easily becuase they were so tired and sick (uggh we all are) tonight they got a little benedryl...

Well if anyone out there has any ideas.. I'm laeaning towards finishing the 3rd room that is now a loft. Once that is done I won't have the twins waking each other up issue. I'm just wondering if I should try again when they are closer to 3. And if I should seperate them at all. I know ds will have a hard time with it. My sweet little guy!!

Any advice from a twin mom would be great. My friends have not been thru this and my dh is ready to strangle them

If not- I'm sure this to will pass and I will figure it out!!

Take care

 

Sorry I can't be of any help to you. My 2 that share a room are a year apart, so the oldest went to a toddler bed first. She did fine, then last February when they were both in T-beds there still wasn't a problem. Sure, even now they both get out of bed sometimes, but I just quietly and firmly put them back supper nanny style. All 3 of my girls went to T-beds within a week of their 2nd birthday.

Good luck! :hug:

 

My twins are 27 months old and are in their own beds. Initially I tried to have them share a room, but, like you, it was exhausting having them play and fight together and I wasn't up for it. So, I moved them into their own rooms and it has been a piece of cake! I just shut the door and they go down easy, so, I would suggest finishing the other room if you have the time.

While the kids were sharing a room, I would sit on the end of one bed and read a book until they fell asleep and that, at least, kept them in line, but it didn't mean I wasn't in their for an hour. I was ready to strangle my twins too and seperating them was the best thing I did. Some things are not worth the fight (especially at the end of the day).

 

Like Joyful said....I sit outside their door and read a book. I started in August with the exact situation you are describing..to a T!!!!!!! It was painfully miserable , exhausting and I wasn't even sick. So sorry!
Here is what i did...
We each take one upstairs put them in bed, turn on their music and close the door halfway. I have a short stool that I sit outside their door. They can still see me. AT first they were getting out, runnin from one side of the house to the other screaming and laughing. The madder I got the mnore they laughed. When this happened I moved my stool into their room and gradually moved it out to the door each night. By the 5th night of this I gave them benadryl and would have given them somthing stronger if i wouldn't have been put in jail for it!!!! I mean literally one would ecscape and before I could catch her to put her back in the other was out the door. I wanted to cry and there were a few nights I did. It also caused some grief between DH and I.

Eventually it got better. When I put them back in their bed I don't say anything, jsut pick them up and lay them back in bed. The time I was up there would range from 20 minutes to 2 hours. They are way better now. I jsut kept telling myself that the time I am putting in this will pay off and it has. It is way better now. I sit on my stool and read until they are asleep. I actually kind of enjoy that little reading time. There are days taht they fall asleep instantly and others that it takes at the most 20 minutes. I have read about 6 books since then!!!

On a downnote...our naps were by far even harder. What i did though was allow for days with no naps. I know...stinky!!! I really miss my nap time, but it is worth it for bedtime sanity for us all and I think it helped them. They probably miss about 2-3 naps a week, never two days in a row though because I think that makes them too tired and causes for sleepless bedtimes. I try to do my no nap days when I am going to be out of the house for a while. That way when I am home ALL Day with them we get a nap.
I hope I have been some help. Please know that you are not alone in this! I would try talking to my friends about it and they jsut didn't get the two baby thing. Hang in there and i promise it will pay off. It has been about 3 months now and things are much better. I think part of it took some acceptance from me also that I have to work at bedtime now, which is something I never had to do.

good luck and let us know how it is going...
jena

 

I had a rough transition too, so I might not be the best for advice! :nea: BUT...take all that you CAN out of there and they'll eventually fall asleep!

I made the mistake (well, it worked out when I realized what was going on) of laying in there etc... then I would end up falling asleep - so that was not working. So, I sat outside the room for a while. Then when they could really understand, I started taking away privs for monkey business!

 

My Dh likes to say duct tape can fix anything.

There are no magical solutions. Teaching them to stay in bed is no easier than teaching them to not climb out of a crib. You can either get crib tents or keep up the billion times a night putting them back in bed until they "get it". I know at 2.5 mine were not ready. Heck, they're only ready some nights now but they broke a fiberglass tent support (see other post) and so beds it is. So far, I've tried removing their toys, putting them back over and over and over without saying anything, and taking out the nightlight. The nighlight didn't work at all and their endurance for the Supernanny trick is impressive. Removing the toys works best for us but it's not always enough so then we move to Supernanny. It's all about repetition so try things until something works a little and then stick with that.

 

I'd go with crib tents until they are closer to three and seem ready. Mine are 32 months and are now just getting to the point that I feel like they'd transition okay, but we're waiting until they turn 3.

 

I had read so often on TS how much better the transition to beds is if you can wait till 3, which I know is not always possible. We were lucky and didn't have climbers and moved them to beds about a month ago with no issue. I agree to try crib tents first if you can since they are still young and will want to get out of bed all the time.

 

I got a crib tent for my son that climbed out and it has been the perfect solution!

 

Thank you so much!! you ladies made meand my husband laugh and were still really sick! I love the ideas and the stories! We have keep the cribs turned towards the walls with that side open. They are sleigh beds. My DH made them, He listened me to read the posts and said how about I just build the side higher?

hmmmm... What do you think? I need the experts opinions... I do agree they are not ready. I also think we need to start on the new room. So long loft and the open floor plan.. Oh well. I think it will be nice for all of them to have their oun rooms..... RIGHT?? I really hate to seperate them.

Thanks again.

Still need your help!