Trying to make DT2 safe at night

[lock951753]

Have NC for this.

I have 2.5yo DT's. This evening we've just put a tiny lock, similar to the ones that you might use on the inside of a toilet cubicle, on the outside of their bedroom door.

We've done this because DT2 is a sleepwalker (multiple times a night) and during the night got up and went into the living room, climbed up on the shelves, slipped and fell to the floor, luckily didn't hurt himself, from the things that fell off the shelf I think he must have been 3 or 4 up. We woke up to a crash as things fell of the shelf as he did at 3am.

We have childproofed as much as possible and have baby gates on the kitchen door and a lock on the outside of the bathroom that we shut at night but in the living area it's all open plan so there is no way we can put safety barriers to protect him. The only other way we could assure his safety would be to remove all furniture and have a totally empty lounge/diner.

The DT's bedroom is next to ours so if either cries we hear them and we would never use it for punishment or getting them to go to sleep, thankfully they are good at that, I would also never leave them to cry. We will only use it after we go to bed for a safety precaution for DT2.

DH and I thought this was the best option but talking to a friend this afternoon and she was horrified.

What else are we supposed to do, sit in shifts outside their room through the night? I don't think my friend realises how lucky we were that he didn't fall badly and hurt himself.

AWBU to have done this?

[ThinkIveBeenHacked]

Gate on their door?

[Annunziata]

Can you rig something up so you hear a noise if the door opens- bells on it or something? I would be very scared of a lock if there was, god forbid, a fire.

[lock951753]

Yes we are going to get one this weekend, but we needed to do something urgently today because last night terrified us both and DH had a little bathroom lock in his toolbox.

[CMOTDibbler]

Why not just put a baby gate in their doorway? We did that for ds as he sleepwalks

[ShoeWhore]

I'd go for a stair gate on the bedroom door I think.

[lock951753]

Their bedroom door is usually shut anyway (isn't that fire safety advice) and right next to ours. Our bedroom has a door that leads out to the garden so we could all get out in seconds.

[Sirzy]

I would rather use stairgates than a lock on the door.

[ThinkIveBeenHacked]

Take the gate off the kitchen and put the lock on the kitchen door in the interim period before you get another gate

[lock951753]

There will be a stairgate there tomorrow. The lock is just for tonight.

[LadyLuck10]

Can't you and your DH/dp sleep with each one of the twins and lock door from inside. That way it's locked but you are there with them?

[lock951753]

It won't fit as they are different sized door frames and there is no kitchen door, just a doorway. That was our initial thought.

[lock951753]

This is what I mean, we thought about every other option before doing this.

[Deverethemuzzler]

It will be fine for one night.

Locks are not ideal but for some families they are the only solution to a very difficult issue.

If you want the option of being able to shut the door you can get a stable door for their room or get a carpenter to cut theirs in half. That is what we do with ours.

[trashcanjunkie]

If you don't want to use the lock, could you not just put a couple of dining chairs, back first across the door way, thus barring his way?

[lock951753]

Stable door is a brilliant idea! Thank you

[HeartsTrumpDiamonds]

What will you do when he is toilet trained?

What a worry.

[lock951753]

He would just open the door and push them away. He regularly pushes them round the dining room telling me they are his horses

[wheresthelight]

Can you not put the stairgate at the top of the stairs?

[Deverethemuzzler]

You are welcome.
We have used it on the kitchen in the past (I wanted to be able to shut it at night because of fire risk) and the children's bedrooms. Door gates are ok but they get in the way. You can have the door cut at the height you want.

[lock951753]

Hearts, I have no idea . We're hoping he'll grow out of it but DH & his brother are sleepwalkers still as adults.

Thank you for all being so nice about it. My friend made me feel awful today.

[lock951753]

Flat so no stairs.

[WaroftheRoses]

Was reading about weighted blankets yesterday (various uses but great benefits with autistic kids etc) and one use is to reduce the amount sleepwalkers sleep walk! maybe because the child is pinned to the bed by it Might be useful for you or someone to know!

[HeartsTrumpDiamonds]

Your friend should not have been so critical. It's a toughie. I like the stable door idea. Just thinking of other ideas.... How hard is it to wake him up from sleepwalking? Could you string say a cow bell across the door which he would run into and the clanging would wake everyone up? It means the whole household waking up but better than the alternative perhaps.

[HeartsTrumpDiamonds]

Weighted blanket, good one.

[PasswordProtected]

How old? Is he aware. Talk to him about this?