..to pick a 5/6 your old in room at night

[Adarajames]

So they can't wake adults, with thumping and climbing on them / shouting at them, early
It's been suggested to someone as a valid way to deal with the issue, do you think they are making a reasonable suggestion?

[Adarajames]

Grr stupid phone, should say 'lock a child' not pick!!

[Sirzy]

Do you mean lock? If so yes it would be unreasonable and surely they would just stand at the door shouting?

[AnMum]

What if they need the loo? I think this would be pretty off, personally. You could always lock yourself in your room though...same result surely?

[Fatmomma99]

An absolute U from me, and v dangerous - what if there were a fire.

I hope this is theoretical, but I'm almost at 'abuse'

[misskatamari]

Definitely unreasonable. Even the thought of that makes me stressed and feel claustrophobic (I have no issue with small spaces etc but find the thought of being locked in somewhere that I can't get out of really distressing - definitely wouldn't want a child to feel that way!!!)

[MrsTerryPratchett]

Absolutely unreasonable. Has the child got SEN? Still don't lock them in a room but different advice might be forthcoming about behaviour.

[AngieBolen]

Of course it's unreasonable to lock a child in a room.

If a child has reached the age of 6 years old, and doesn't know how to entertain themselves without thumping or climbing on them then there is either a SN, or the parents need some parenting tips.

[ijustwannadance]

No, very dangerous. If your kid is awake you get up. It's the childs behaviour that needs to be dealt with, if you don't like them jumping on you etc don't allow them to do it

[ladyflower23]

Yes defo dangerous in case of fire plus they can't use the loo and it's just not very nice...

[PotteringAlong]

Definitely unreasonable.

[Ilovetorrentialrain]

Dangerous. Reading this gives me a feeling of panic. Please do not lock a child in a room.

[bumbleymummy]

Very unreasonable.

[milkysmum]

God no you can't lock a child in their room so they don't wake you up!

[HelsBels3000]

erm no - a stairgate perhaps? my DH suggested a contact alarm for the door of DD's room. She has ADHD and is often wandering around at unsociable hours up to all sorts and sometimes we don't wake in time to prevent mishaps. But as for locking her in her room, no way.

[TheOddity]

I agree it's unreasonable but is a locked door any more or less dangerous really than putting a baby gate across the room which lots of people do with their toddlers? Thinking aloud here.

[Iggly]

Yabu

Work out why they're waking if you can. If not, be more sympathetic. They won't be doing it maliciously

[MissJoMarch]

How about improving your parenting or patience before locking a small vulnerable child up?

[Iggly]

I'd never lock any of my children away or use a stairgate at night unless it was a matter of life or death. But then again my DCs don't go wandering at night. Ds did have a habit of doing so when he was about 3 but we still didn't lock him up, as he would only come to us a bit scared. He doesn't do it anymore aged 5

[Finola1step]

So how do you feel about it OP?

[MrsTerryPratchett]

is a locked door any more or less dangerous really than putting a baby gate across the room A toddler is probably not self-saving in a fire (anyway, doors should be closed at night). An older child is/could be. Also, a toddler is used to being behind a baby gate. Older children should not be used to being locked up.

[JoandMax]

Definitely unreasonable.

Although a friend was advised to do this to her 4.5 year old by an expensive 'sleep consultant'........

[MillionToOneChances]

I lock my own door, because I would much rather wake vaulting instinctively from my bed to a rattle at the door than to open my eyes and find a small silent face inches from mine. Freaks me out. I'm there before they've even twigged my door is locked.

[madwomanbackintheattic]

More details required. There are various 'safe space' type solutions for use with kids with sn, but funding is obv hard to get. Impossible to offer potential solutions without knowing the cause of the behaviour, but it sounds as though you don't want to give context, just blatant yes or no?

[HippyChickMama]

DS is an early riser (Asperger's) and from when he started school he has had an alarm clock set at 7am, he knows that until the alarm goes off he is not to wake anyone else in the house. He's often awake by 6am but now, until his alarm goes off at 7, he will read or play quietly in his room. Could you not try something like that? As pp have said, locking a child in is very dangerous, besides which, how would they get to the toilet?

[Kitsandkids]

Yes it's unreasonable. The children need to be taught not to wake people up when it's too early but locking them in is cruel.

When my foster children came to live with us they would initially wake at about 5am. I didn't want them going downstairs in case they let themselves outside or anything, and we are not allowed to let them enter our bedroom, so we trained them to stay in their room until we opened the door. They got a tick on a daily tick chart for doing so. It took a couple of weeks but they got the hang of it (it helped that they also have a small playroom and their own bathroom attached to their room) and now they wouldn't dream of opening the door. If there's an emergency I have said to open it and call for me but if they do need me they usually don't even open the door - they just yell!