Moving Son to "Big Boy Bed"

hey L.,it sounds like he is scared of the new bedi would try a bed that is low to the ground without rails if possible or a crib low to the ground. berni.

you might try a toddler bed, it's lower to the ground and he might be more comfortable in it. It uses the crib mattress so the only expense is the bed itself. You can get one at Walmart or Target or anywhere like that. If it doesn't work and he does the same thing, then you can take it back to where you bought it and just say you decided against it and get your money back.

Been there.. my oldest had to go to a big boy bed when we was about 15 months old too cause we needed to get the crib ready for the youngest. The "big boy" bed is a transition for him so he wants to learn everything about it. The best advice I can give you is to at first make the bed a game for him so he will get used to it. Not jumping on the bed but you know sit on it with him with a few toys and let him play. You can even take the mattress apart and put it on the floor like its a big thick mat. It is just something new to him and most kids are scared of what is new and unfamiliar. As far as getting him to go to sleep in it. Good Luck that is a battle that you are going to have to use tough love. EVERY time my two tried to get up, i told them to lay back down until they got the point and stayed in bed and was asleep. Getting up is a stalling tactic that he is using to stay awake since he knows its easy to get out of the new bed. Super Nanny did a show last year on this. 1st time the child gets up, kiss him, put him back in bed and say good night. 2nd time put him in bed and say good night, etc until you are just putting him back in bed and waiting out. He isn't going to like it and may scream but he has to learn that he has to stay in bed. That is where the Tough Love comes in.

Good Luck L.

Maybe this wont sound cold hearted, but when my middle child started crawling out of her babybed, not sure what age, she would come in the living room or go to her sisters room, I put a toddler bed in her room I took the baby bed down for my other baby they are 16 months apart so I guess she was about the same age as yours, well, I ended up getting a baby gate and putting it up in her door, I did not like the idea of shutting doors, She would get put to bed and the gate put up, at first she would get mad and stand at the gate, but when we would not come get her only talk to her from the living room and tell her to get a toy and sit in the bed and play she would do that and then fall asleep, sometimes she would be in the floor with the toys but I would check befor I went to bed and get her fixed, She was always alseep before I went to bed.

With both of our boys we took one side rail off the crib and made it a daybed. this was great because they were not taken from their normal surroundings but not in a crib either. Our daughter is now 2 1/2 and we plan to do the same thing when she is ready.

perhaps it feels too high off the ground... maybe just put the mattress on the floor for a bit and see if it is less intimidating?

my son did the same thing. We found the trick was to have play time in bed during the day. We took the toy of the moment into bed and played for a while. this made him look forward to bed time. make sure too that you are using the same bed time routine that you used before the big boy bed, that will help him realize that though the bed has changed it is still the same old bed time.

15 months seems a little young to me to move out of the crib. I just wasn't ready for my kids to move so young. I put a crib tent on my daughter's crib. That worked for a while. Shortly before her 3rd birthday, she started climbing INTO the crib during the day to get stuff out. That was when I decided it was time. We took one of the rails off her crib and made it into a toddler bed. The first time we tried it, she would not stay in her bed long enough to even try to fall asleep. After about 10 days of trying, i told her if she didn't stay in her bed, Daddy would put her crib back together. He did. She didn't like it but she knew we meant business. Shortly after that, we went on vacation and she slept in a big bed with me without any problems. When we got back home, we tried again and she did great! She turned 3 in October and has been in a toddler bed since August.

My son is 5 now. He never tried to climb out of his crib or anything. He was almost 31/2 when I moved him straight to a twin bed. He never had any problems moving.

Is the crib still in his room? You might try leaving it in there for awhile. It might make him feel more secure. Also, you could give him a choice of staying in the crib or staying in the big bed. You could even tell him if he doesn't stay in the big bed that he will have to go back to the crib. Good luck.

WELL I HAVE 4 BOYS AND MY FIRST THREE WENT THROUGH THAT AND MY LAST CHILD IS A LITTLE WORSE BUT TRY THIS AND SEE IF IT HELPS. YOU CAN DO ONE OF TWO THINGS, EITHER LET HIM LAY WITH YOU UNTIL HE IS SLEEP THEN PUT HIM IN BED OR LAY IN HIS BED WITH HIM UNTIL HE'S GOOD AND ASLLEP THEN GET UP. IT SEEM TO WORK FOR ME.

Hi L.!

I had the same problem. My twins wanted to sleep with me...not in the "big kid bed." Soo...one night we were watching "The Nanny." And we saw something that believe it or not we thought might work! So we tried it...and low and behold, it did. And trust me...there were no two children harder to get to sleep than mine!!! LOL

Start by introducing the bed to him. Explain to him what you are going to do tonight. Pat him while he is laying down or lay with him a minute, then gradually work your way out. Sitting by the bed, rocking chair, by the door, whatever the pattern for you may be. This is the way we did it. Suddenly, we could put them in the bed and they stayed! It was such a freeing moment! I didn't know what to do with myself!!! LOL I had time to watch a show or read a magazine or just sit in peace and quiet!!!

Good luck. I know this is a hard time, but they are only this little once, and try to remember, that this too, will pass. ~Lee

The best advice I can think of is coming up with a bedtime routine if you don't already have one. This way your little one will know what to expect every single night. After the bath, it's time for a book, after the book, we turn on some soft music and then mommy leaves. That's how it goes at my house. And as others have suggested, you will have to be firm and consistent when the child gets out of bed, put him back. you may have to do this several times before he learns that he's not getting anywhere. Just try your hardest not to get angry and turn it into a battle, because I know when you are tired, those little ones can really test your nerves. Just be very matter of fact about it and let him know that you are not going to stop putting him back in his own bed until he learns to stay there.

I think I would allow him to go in and play on the bed when it's not time to sleep. Maybe let him do this alone for awhile. I would also try sitting with him on the bed and letting him play in it. You could also go to the store together and let him pick out a big boy/big bed sleeping toy, CD, pillow, or blankets. Maybe if it is his, and he has gotten to pick out the accessories, he'll be more apt to try sleeping in it. Hope it helps.
J. W.

Hi L.,

We have a 3 1/2 yr. old girl and an 18 month old boy. We kept our daughter in a crib until she was 2 and our son is still in the crib (we're expecting another baby in March and will have two in cribs!) It is definitely easier knowing where they are and that they are safe in the crib as long as you can!

When our daughter started climbing out about 15 months, we would take her back to her bed, tell her no, and swat her bottom (it does have to hurt to deter them!). It took about 2 days, especially at nap time, to get her to understand that climbing out was not okay. I don't know how you feel about spanking/disciplining/etc. but I was always concerned that climbing out of the crib at such a young age was dangerous. Not just the climbing out, but what they can get into at night without you knowing.

Good luck!

15 months might be a little early. My 3rd child is 18 months old right now, and we just moved her to a toddler bed(a convertable crib) 2 nights ago, as our 4th is due in a few weeks. She cried a lot when we tried to move her a month ago, but 2 nights ago she was OK. She cried for a few minutes, but then went to sleep just fine.