To ask you how the actual fuck to deal with this??

[TayoTheLittleBus]

Wits. End.

My two year old (just turned two) flipped herself out of her cot last night and was quite frankly fortunate not to break her neck. Soooo today the side has come off.

She will not stay the fuck in her bed. I keep returning her. Over and over. No eye contact etc. It’s now a game to her. Laughing and sneaking about.

I am now on the floor beside her bed and I just keep gently pushing her back down when she sits up. But I am already in a mess with my four year old as she won’t sleep without one of us lying beside her (a different thread altogether) and I am absolutely fucking determined that this will not be happening with DD2.

Please. Help.

Put a baby gate on her bedroom door and make sure there is nothing sharp or dangerous in the bedroom. She can move around and go to sleep safely but just can't get out of the room.

Childproof the room, put a stairgate in the doorway, and put the mattress on the floor.

We had this issue before. We just put a stair gate over the door and left them at it. Child slept on the floor a few times then got the idea it was better to stay in bed. We took all the fun stuff out of the room so there was nothing to mess with.

Go out of the room and shut the door. She might end up sleeping on the floor for a couple of nights. Your presence is a reward for her. Remove yourself = remove the reward for bad behaviour.

Put a safety gate on her door so she can't get out of the room and leave her to it.

I don’t think she will ever go to sleep if her bedroom door is open. These are children who can go for fucking days without sleep. They are savage

My 6 year old has one of us go to sleep next to her most nights.

Don't see it as a bad thing.

She dozes off quickly and sleeps well.

We'd rather that than leave her to it and it take ages for her to fall asleep because she's messing around in her room.

Oh God I feel your pain. Mine did this, but he was in a rage , not laughing. Jumping up and down holding the gate and screaming.

I had to leave him to it as I got so utterly angry with him I was scared I would be too rough with him.

2 or 3 nights of yelling and he was sorted. But oh God that was a hard hard week at work.

It’s a bad thing when she fights sleep till 10pm. I don’t have time to lie in her room till 10pm

Stair gate on door here too. If you haven't already, make sure that all furniture is properly fixed to the walls, and preferably has child proof closures on them (so you don't have to lift every stitch of clothing off the floor in the morning!)

Ignore if she gets up and mucks about, likewise if she calls you. She'll soon get bored and figure out that bed is better

I think if I leave them to it they’ll play and mess around all night. They hate sleep.

Baby gate on outside frame of door, slightly off floor to make high enough for her not to climb. Cushions underneath incase she rattles it off. Door can shut then. Also one at top of stairs. Give her a few books and night light and leave her to fall asleep on blanket on the floor. Ignore any demands.

My son is a night owl so I feel for you.

This worked for me.

Reset the bedroom routine. Bath, three books, bed. Say good night. Tell her you will be back in two minutes to give her another a kiss. Go stand outside the door. If she gets out before two mins. Don't make eye contact, put her back. Don't smile, don't get angry. At two mins, give another kiss goodnight. Say you'll be back in four mins. Continue as before adding two mins each time. Persist and hopefully it will work in the end.

Good luck.

Another vote for baby gate!

I echo the others - stair gate in bedroom door. When my twins first moved to beds from cots it was hell for the first three nights. They ran about and created general havoc. This was all ignored, and when they were tired enough they fell asleep. They soon realised that their behaviour wasn't going to get me to come running and soon got bored of it. Three nights seem to be the magic number, and if you can get through that it's much better. But those three days can be hellish.

Good luck.

Ok this might not be popular but here goes. I had this with dd1 who had always been a fabulous sleeper, when I transferred her to a bed she just wouldn't stay in the bloody thing. Empty bedroom, except cushions and bed of course and a stair gate in the doorway. Going up every 5 minutes to calmly tell her she needs to get in the bed. First night she fell asleep about 11pm sat up protesting against the stair gate after 4 hours of strsss but from then on she stayed in bed. Sorry if that makes me harsh!

About to do the cot to bed transfer with my twins who are 2.5 yrs... luckily they are short and not climbing out of cots yet but Jesus I'm dreading it so much ......

My just turned 2 year old is currently sleeping on a mattress on his bedroom floor with a stair gate in the doorway. He started climbing out of the cot or rocking it so much I thought it would tip over. He moves around A LOT in his sleep so I didn't think he was ready for a bed yet. I've also folded a single duvet in half and joined it up to the mattress so it's like a huge bed.

'Bad behaviour'? She's just turned 2!

Are your dc actually tired? Is their bedtime too early? When do they wake up in the mornings? Are they getting enough exercise and stimulation during the day? Napping too late?

And what's the matter with them wanting you close? How about having them in your bed?

You have to be firm. Keep at it for a few days. Worth it in the end

@Bubbletrouble43 i like your technique!! My toddler is not 2 yet but so tall she will have to come out the cot soon before she starts climbing out. She is too young to follow instructions about staying in bed all night so I've been worrying about this a bit but removing all the toys from the room will hopefully work for us too :)

They are exhausted. They don’t nap in the day any more because even a ten minute doze will keep them up till11pm. They go to nursery three days. I run them ragged the days I have them. They are always outside. They just have serious FOMO. I have tried making their bedtime an hour later but it’s the same battle just an hour later.

I don’t think they are bad. Did I say that? They’re good kids but the sleep issues have me on my knees.

I don’t mind staying close to them if they go to sleep. I resent sitting with them for hours while they carry on and refuse to even attempt it. I have a house to run. I have a job. I can’t do that indefinitely.

@CatteStreet you seriously think a 2 year old can not be badly behaved?

I drag the pair of them out of bed every morning. I would take a 6am start easily if they’d just go to sleep without a fight every night.

And no I don’t think having them in my bed will solve anything. I don’t want to do that. They need to learn to go to sleep.