Im at the end of my rope,

Yesterday I put the boys down for their nap and got on the computer to catch up on everything I had missed from being away for the funeral for a few days. Five minutes later I had two very tired little boys standing in my kitchen. I put them back in their crib and told them they had to go to sleep well after an hr of this I gave up and there was no nap ime. I had some things to do so I figured they would sleep in the car and that they did.

Last night at 8Pm I put them to bed. A 8:10pm I had 2 little boys again standing in my kitchen. I put them back ion there bed and this went on for 30 min before i got fed up and put them in there pnp and went outside for a min. not 5min later they were both standing on the couch looking at me outside. I came back in and did my best to get them to bed but they were everywhere and not listening to a single word. Finally at 9pm I put them in their stroller and went outside till DH came home. ( this was the only place I could get them to sit still)

Dh came home and we thought for a few min on how to handle our situation. LOL we never did figure it out. We tried the cribs again last night, we tried the pnp, I put the superyard up and gave them theirblankets to sleep in there. No matter where we put them they climbed out. Finally at midnight I appilied the super nanny tech. I put them to bed and when they got up i put them back this went on a few times b/f they got physically tired of climbing out of the pnp. Dylan went down first on his own in bed Brandon about 30 min later fell asleep with me holding him. At 6am this morning they were both up for the day. One of them having the biggest meltdown I have ever seen.

They are sneezing a bit so I gave them each from bendryl and Im thinking they may be getting 2 year molars ( to early??) so I gave them tylenol.

Lat night was a very difficult night for me, I sat and cried while they cried b/c I have never heard them sceam they wasy they did last night.

They are to the point that I have no control over them, They dont listen to a single word, you tell them no and they laugh, I spanked them on their diaperd but last night for climbing on the couch and pushingnon the screen and the next thing I know they are both standing on the couch spanking their own butts laughing at me. ( yes I know it sounds funny and it looed really funny and I had to laugh for a sec.) but seriously I dont know what happened to my kids.

How do you disapline 18m old thats will not behave at all. are we two our terrible 2's already?

On a side note my idea for toddler beds went out the window when they climbed out of the super yard. I reall need suggestions on what to do with them. I cant totally child proof my home and Idont think they makes gates tall enough for them not to climb plus I dont want them to get hurt....


Where do they sleep now?? I rally (stupid I guess) though they would be in cribs till theyw ere 3......

***if you have a good website or know a good book for how to deal with 18m old misbehaving and how to correct it please pass the info along.

thanks in advance
One very tired mommy..........

 

Obviously they are climbing out of their cribs, which isn't a safe thing to do no matter how many times they do it successfully, so you have 2 choices, crib tents or toddler beds. Most on here will tell you to get crib tents. If you want to go the route of toddler beds (we just used a twin bunkbed that came apart to 2 lower than normal twin beds), I would take everything (and I mean EVERYTHING) out of their room but the 2 beds and put a child safety door knob cover on the inside of their door and put them to bed. They may get out and roam around, they will probably scream and holler when they realize that they are locked in their room, eventually they should realize that there is nothing to do in the dark (I started at bed time), and go to sleep (William slept under his bed a few times before he just stopped getting out of his bed). My boys went to the twin beds at 19mos as did my DD, and the transition wasn't that bad. We had a few no nap days before they settled down in the new environment. As for day time discipline, mine went through the laughing at getting their butts popped too. They would run around swatting each other's behind. Fortunately that is an age thing, and eventually punishment clicks. Until then I would try timeouts. We use a "nose on wall" approach that lends us an easy threat anywhere we go cause everywhere has a wall. Good luck and hopefully you will get some better sleeper today.

 

Sorry to hear how things have been going. You are absolutely in the midst of the time that was the most difficult for me as a parent.

You definitely need to make a decision about their sleepings arrangements as soon as possible. A couple of our TS members have had children needing casts after crib climbs. When faced with the situation I went for the crib tents. I was not at a point where I personally could give the transition the attention it needed and I do think the transition from crib to bed requires both the children to be ready as well as the parent. Good luck with whatever method you choose.

I don't spank so I can't help you there but I can tell you that you are in the middle of the time period where I thought I was talking to brick walls. Keep consistent, keep talking until you are blue in the face, say the same thing one million times because chances are they really are listening (even though they aren't responding) and soon you will see they were listening and their behavior will reflect all you have gone through to get to that point.

I think alot of us can empathize! I hope the phase passes for you quickly and you get your just rewards for being consistant!

 

Crib tents worked great for us!! Good luck

 

I would go with crib tents. I bought one when Erick climbed out at about 20mos. He didn't listen well during regular activities, WHY would he listen to me to stay in bed! Then about two months ago, Kayci climbed out. I went to buy another crib tent but they didn't have any! Yikes! I took Erick's off and gave it to Kayci since Erick is a better listener now. He stays in his crib without it now. In your situation, I would absolutely go with crib tents. As far as discipline at 18mos...it's tough. Be consistent in what you expect from them so there's question in their mind of what is allowed. We have the family room gated off with only the couch, tv, and their toys. When they are getting into things, this is the room they have to stay in. If they are listening well, we'll go into the other playroom (has WAY more stuff from my older kids in it) or in their bedroom to play. You can try time outs in the buckled in the highchair or booster so they can't get up. GL, I know it's tough!

 

:wavey: hello. im new here. i was born in miami but now im liveing here in europe hungary. my twins were born here. i have the same problem u have. my girls are almost 3 and they are so bad! they dont listen 2 me. (i raise them alone!) they laugh in my face, tell me no, they sream, cry, fight, bite, they dont want 2 sleep in the afternoons any more!

so im like giveing up! there double trouble and there also girls! grrr! i thought girl are better then boys but seems like not!

so..... i gave up! just wishing it will get better!
take care! monica

 

I forgot to post with my lack of sleep that we bought crib tents and they dont fit out cribs.. I know I should have put this in the first post but i totally forgot..... We even had a TS mommy sned pics of how she get it to fit her crib and we just cant get the tent to fit our cribs (its to big)...

As for the spanking part I DONT want to spank my kids so im looking for advice and i guess its just repeat........

 

I guess you are all against spanking?

Well, if not, it works. I'm not talking bust out the belt spanking, just a little swat to let them know that you are the boss and that they are going to listen to you. Consequences, its a hard thing to learn, but a lesson that needs to be taught! I've never had a problem with my kids staying in bed. Sometimes you just need to get their attention.

HTH!

 

Okay, I feel like I am getting to expert status on this topic! My boys started climbing out at 18 months, I went the route of staying in the room until they were asleep, I know a lot would say it is a bad idea and it might be but I had my quiet time at that point and then could get my work done. I have spanked on occassion to get them to stay in bed but I am not a fan of it, it is at times out of desperation. I will warn them before spanking though, I let them know if they get out of bed I will have to spank them. I moved Micah and Lucas into beds at 2 years and they were great in beds, they may get out at times to turn on the light or fish art that we have but 98% of the time they stay in bed or if they get out I just go up and turn the light off and place them in bed without saying a word. As for childproofing EVERYTHING in your home, it is darn near impossible. We had to resort to putting a lock on their bedroom door because they were getting up at 6 am and being quiet as can be so we could not hear them in the monitor to come and create havoc in another part of the house. I wish you the best of luck because this is only the beginning. There are other methods other than spanking, if you don't feel good about it don't do it.

 

Do they have "loveys"or "special" items. Mine have blankets and bunnies. When they get out of be we take these away(after warning) adn as last resort close the door. This they hate so it gets the message across. Otherwise, persistance and putting them back in bed-a variation of the nanny that works for your family and start time outs. They may not get it at first but when you are persistant it will click.Good luck,

 

I spank when I have warned several times. It gets their attention and gets my point across that momma is not playing. I do sit in their room until they have totally unwound and are near sleep. It works for us and like PP said it gives me some down time.

 

I know the crib tents don't fit their cribs, but could you purchase 2 cheaper cribs that they would fit on? I know you can get Jenny Lind style cribs for around $120.

 

My son moved into a bottom bunk bed when he was 18 months old, only because we needed his crib for one of the twins and we thought it would be better to transition before the twins came when he was 21 months old. We kept a safety rail. He never climbed out of his crib or bed.

With the twins, we are trying to keep them in cribs as long as possible. So far no issues climbing out, but all kids are different. Many of my friends had kids that climbed out. I would switch to a bed if they are climbing out. Of course it is easier to climb out of a bed, but it's safer if they do get out (less chances of getting hurt). To keep them in their room, have you tried the safety knobs on the door? We did that with my son (put on both sides).

 

Little update*********************

We live in a manufactured home and last year when the kids were going to be moving into thei own room from our we switched rooms with them so they were not near the front door. also when your in the back of the house (our old room) you can not hear a single thing in the front of the house so I felt safer with them back there. No that they are moving from cribs to beds we have to put them back in the front bedroom b/c the back room has a bath room with no door(not an issue when they could not get out of their beds) they cant be trusted back there b/c they climbs gates.

Tonight hopefully possibly tom. after everything is swithced around the boys will have their room set up with nothing in them except the mattresses on the floor. I have been told by many to close the door to keep them in and while right now thats my only option I DO NOT like the fact that while now my children are on the oppisit side of the house I have o have their bedroom door closed......

Still trying to figure a way around this one. I hear before of people installing screen doors as bedroom doors but im not sure how possible that is...

IDK


Ill keep you all updated