PLEASE HELP!

I started the transition to toddler beds and it was going really good until today. It's been one and a half hrs since we started nap time and they're still awake. Yesterday I did the whole sitting with them until they fell asleep and that seemed to work nicely, but for some reason that isn't working today. They're just feeding off it and making it more of a game and pushing my buttons. What did some of you ladies do that really helped to make the switch easier. TIA

 

We waited till they were 3 yrs old to move them out of cribs. I think if you remain consistent and just keep putting them back they will get it eventually. Kate (twoin2005) had some great advice, you can read it here:

[wiki]Toddler_Sleep_Tips[/wiki]

 

I just put mine into bed, tuck him in, and leave the room. Sometimes he'll get up and play for a bit, then get tired and just climb back into bed himself and fall asleep.

 

Do they still use binkis? How about listening to soft music? That helped us when we moved to beds at age 2. And whenever we had a really active morning they would sleep really well. You could try running them hard for an hour before naptime.

 

Ellie just decided for herself to switch to a toddler bed. She and Joey share a room; Joey has a toddler bed. Thursday afternoon she wanted to nap in Joey's bed instead of her crib. I let her, and she went to sleep fine without playing or wandering. That night we took off the side rail of her crib and put the girls to bed together without any problems. About 4 months ago DH just took the rail off because he felt like it. She wasn't ready to stay in her bed and the rail was up by night time. Ellie wasn't ready then, but she showed me she's ready now. Maybe they aren't ready? Any reason you want to switch now? My other 2 were in their bed right at age 2. Ellie just wasn't ready until now, despite the fact that I was ready to ditch the crib!!

 

Being that they are under 2, I would think they aren't ready for the freedom of a toddler bed--I also waited until mine were 2 1/2, and we still had a month of transition. Sometimes I would just keep them out all morning, then let them fall asleep on the way home, and carry them into bed--I only did this for naps.

 

I actually did mine one at a time. Jesse seemed more willing to stay put so he got to go first .. it worked out great. He was just 2 yrs old .. Jayden we waited until he was 3.

 

Thank you ladies! We're in the middle of changing their room from a baby nursery to a "big girl" room. They've been on this "big girl" kick lately. We're also planning on moving sometime this summer and am having a huge garage sale in about a month and wanted to sell the cribs so we didn't have to move with them. I thought doing the switch now would be better so they had time to adjust.

I got pretty desperate yesterday and put one of the cribs up and that's where they slept for nap. Liberty got so mad at me for putting her back in the crib she wouldn't talk to me the whole afternoon. I couldn't even look at her let alone touch her. It was pretty bad.

I'm thinking I'll keeping one of the cribs up and use it as leverage. If they don't listen and stay in bed they'll have to sleep in the crib and not in their "big girl" beds. Hopefully this will work, if not I may have to completely give up the toddler beds for now and try them in a couple months. I was just so disappointed yesterday, they did so good the day before. It took a little longer for them to fall asleep but once they did they never got up. I guess I'll give it a few more days and see how things go with the new tactic. Thank you everyone, I'd love to hear anymore advice if you ladies have it to give.

 

We also waited until 2.5. We moved to Ecuador when the boys were 20 months and wouldn't have dreamed of switching to beds despite the pain of having to ship their cribs. Even at 2.5 we had serious issues at nap time. What worked for us was separating them. One slept in "Mommy's bed", the other in his own bed. We alternated days.

 

Mine are way too young and I don't mean to hijack your post but we have the cribs that turn into the toddler beds did anyone notice this make a difference as far as ease since they are already used to that surrounding?

 

DS moved to a bunk bed (slept on lower bunk) with a bedrail at 18 months, only because we wanted him to make the transition before the twins came at 21 months. He cried the first night or two, but was fine after that. Never got out of the bed unless we came to get him. I hated moving him so young, but what could you do?

We still have our twins (two years old) in their cribs. DH thought about moving them into toddler beds, but they are so hyper at nap and bed time. We decide to wait until they turn three.