Do crib tents really work?

So the toddler bed transition saga continues...our vacation was miserable because my son (who has to be the worst sleeper out there) refused to nap all week in his twin bed. He escaped all day/night and kept my daughter up. He had a melt down every night at dinner because he didn't sleep. I'd give up on the naps completely if he acted like he didn't need it. But he is a monster when he doesn't get enough sleep. (We also drove 14 hours through the night hoping to get the worst of the drive out of the way while they slept. Did my son sleep...at all? NO!!!!!!)

So we get back home and put the bed rail on his toddler bed. This was initially keeping him in bed - it didn't occur to him to climb over it. Until now...since he was so used to getting out of bed all week. So we put his crib back up. Now he throws himself out of it. I don't even know how he does it. He must have done it 12 times in the last two days already and he's got bruises. The only way I can get him to fall asleep now is if I stay in the room and wait for him to fall asleep for both nap and bed time (and it takes a long time for him to settle down enough and not fight sleep). I'm mad because I tried my hardest these past 2.5 years to not start bad sleep habits. But if that's what it takes, fine. Well NOW he is back to night waking and expects me to sit in his chair all hours of the night, every time he wakes up. If I don't, he throws a MAJOR fit and throws himself out of his crib. So I have no choice. The only thing that has ever worked for him in the past is CIO. But I can't let him CIO when he's going to be throwing himself out of his crib. We are now in the process of furiously painting 2 rooms, to get them separated. But I don't know if I should:
1) move his crib in that room and buy a crib tent - kind of pricey. if it works, great. But I'm leery that if I can put him in it, how can he not figure out how to get out? Not to mention it will totally piss him off and start major tantrums - (he doesn't like change). But I don't care anymore. or
2) put him back in his toddler bed and lock him in and let him CIO running around his room. Which I am afraid is cruel, since it will be a new room and a big change. And if he can't settle down in a confined crib, he will never calm down enough to fall asleep when he's out of bed.

What do I do?

 

For us, the tents were worth every penny. My boys were 15 months when they decided they wouldn't stay in their cribs so it was an easier decision because I didn't feel they were at all ready for toddler beds. T&T loved their tents and wanted them zipped closed (I would feel claustrophobic but they seemed to feel secure). FWIW, the zipper only has a pull on the outside and the inside has a piece of fabric hiding the zipper end when it is fully closed and making it harder to get undone. My kids could do it but didn't figure it out until long after they'd mastered all of the other babyproofing gadgets in the house. By that time, they wanted the tent to be closed at bedtime. The tents kept them in until they were 3 and broke a tent pole climbing on top of it. That was when we took them down and they adjusted quickly to toddler beds. Naps pretty much ended and they decided they could get up on their own in the morning and didn't need to wake us which was the hardest part for me. Bedtime wasn't a huge deal.

ETA: We had the Cozy II with the full enclosure because the Cozy I looked like they could reach between the slats and use the zipper. As an extra bonus, it ended issues with them getting their legs stuck in between slats and pushing their blankets out.

 

I have to agree... the tents were worth every single penny! And I would go back and pay 200$ more for the wonderful sleep we've gotten since putting them on :laughing:

We also had the Cozy II and agree that it is impossible for them to get out of. I say this because my Jake is a master at getting out of things and he's tried forever to get out of the crib tent. Not because he hates it--because he honestly doesn't and loves zipping it up himself but because he's that kid that tries to break everything!

I say go for it! I didn't like the idea of the crib tent at first either and after a very long week of no sleep, I honestly didn't care and was willing to try anything. I will admit that Jake did CIO for the first hour or 2 but he was so exhausted by not sleeping that it didn't last long.

I wish you a ton of luck!

 

We used tents on all 3 boys & wouldn't want it any other way! Cody went to a bed at 3 years old without any problems.

 

I'm in the same boat. My DD is 2.7 and just getting out. I am so not ready for this battle again. But I wonder if she is just too old for a crib tent? I don't know if it's worth it for only a few months, as she'll have to get used to a bed at some point around 3.

I do know people who loved their crib tents and swear by them, just as pps have!

Good luck. Sleep issues are the worst.

 

We bought two tents and they were worth every penny. They saved us for almost two years. My kids never got out of them.