More toddler bed trouble

Hello mamas!

So, the boys are 2 years, 5 months. We switched to toddler beds two weeks ago due to jumping out. First week was AMAZING! Right to bed, no problems, sleep. Waiting for us to get out! Then, they realized they were free. Oy.

For the last week we have stayed in their room, singing, watching them, saying "no, stay in bed," etc. It has worked, after 2+ hours. Not a good solution. So last night I waited outside their room, and put them back in their beds every few minutes. After an hour, I gave up. Just let them run around for a bit, and then when they started ramming the chair against the wall, went in and took it. They screamed (why mama! why the chair? wheres the chair?!) for a bit and fell asleep.

Fearing/gearing up for another night ahead. Any solutions? I am thinking just letting them play until they pass out, but that could take FOREVER.

Any guidance would be awesome.
Best,
Melissa

 

Ugh it's sooooo annoying to have a playmate when you first switch to beds! We went through that too and just took everything (including the drawers they were emptying out of the dresser and the light bulb out of the closet) and locked them in. It still took them longer to fall asleep but it if they got too rowdy we started taking loveys and blankets. It does settled own after a few week!
My daughter is the same age a your twins and I've never had a problem with anything other Than sneaking out to sit with me on the couch!

 

I set up a packnplay, and when mine got out of their beds, I gave them one chance, and if they got up again, I put them in the pnp with no lovies, no blankets and pillows, and no paci's. It only took my daughter a couple of nights to realize she didn't like this, it took my son about a week or a little more than a week, he's more stubborn.

That might not work for you, since yours were climbing out of the crib already.

I would take away anything they play with. If they get up and play with a toy, take it out of their room. I take away lovies and blankets too. I'll put it back once they are asleep. Eventually they'll get it

I seriously had no problems with the transition with my singleton's, but my twins are a whole new ballgame!

 

I locked mine in and let them play, intervening if it sounded like it was getting wild (jumping out of beds, yelling). First strike= warning, second strike=turning off night light. When the room is pitch black they can't see to run around! I still have to use this about once a week and they have been in toddler beds for a year and a half!

 

Ugh, I went through the same thing! My girls are the same age as your boys, but we transitioned them to toddler beds at 19 mos (yikes!) because we had them in mini cribs they grew too big for.

We got locks for the closet and just put all their toys in there. Then we closed the door (it was a round knob so they couldn't open it). The first 3-4 weeks were so hard, I almost lost my mind. I tried everything, from staying in the room (which I still do for nap time), to ignoring them as they played and ran around (they eventually fell asleep - sometimes cuddled up together in the same bed - adorable!) to spastically swinging the door open and shouting "In your beds!" like a crazy woman.

So... I guess this is more of a posting to say that I empathize, and that eventually they'll get the hang of it. Like everything, just be consistent and they'll get it! The great part about twins sharing a room with freedom to get out of their beds is that my girls play in their room in the morning so I don't have to get out of bed right away. The downside is that they sing songs and chatter for at least 30mins at night after we put them to bed> it's kind of cute though

 

Thank you!!! You're all saying it won't be forever... I'll take it.

Last night we took out pretty much everything but the stuffed animals they sleep with, and then left them to do whatever. 30 minutes in we heard screams, they were running and ran in to eachother. One needed a kissed head, the other wanted one on his butt. HA! Then they went in to their beds, talked for 30 minutes and went to sleep. Amazing. Wish they didn't need minor injuries, but happy they slept.

 

Yeah this is a tough one. We dealt with the same thing when we went to big girl beds, they were constantly up, taunting me laughing and running around!!! I started just shutting the door at night and making sure there was almost no light in there (luckily they weren't afraid of the dark so it wasn't a big deal). They weren't big enough to open the door themselves so they couldn't come out! May sound mean but they stayed in there and went to sleep. Now that they are older I am dealing with the same battle again, strangely. They want to get up every 10 minutes and come talk to me. They do have a night light now and I threaten them with taking it away (which I have done) and that seems to help a lot. I also give them coins to stay in bed (if they get up, they must give me one, when they are gone, if they still get up I take something away, if they stay in bed and the coins are there, they get to keep them in the morning.) One of my girls loves this, the other not so much. But yours may be too young for something like that.

 

I stayed with mine after I put them to bed when we transitioned to toddler beds, gradually decreasing the time to stay with them. I stay with them in the dark room, no interaction, no conversation, and if necessary calmly just put them back to bed. At first I stayed until they were more or less asleep, then until they were drowsy, and now it is just 5 minutes or so.

They like me to be there when they fall asleep, so our rule is that I will only stay if they are calm and quiet and stay in their beds. So if they start acting up, I give a warning and then leave. This results in floods or tears in our house, when I come back in and tuck them back in, the playing is over for quite a while. I don't think I have to do this more often than every 3 months or so.

GL, the transition needs good nerves!