can the mighty Mumsnet brigade offer some advice on this one please??

[mckenzie]

DD (just 2) went into a bed last weekend. She was very very excited and has slept beautifully in it all week. The first morning she woke after everyone else, the second and third mornings she woke after DS (nearly 6).
The last two mornings however, she has woken first and has gone straight in to DS's bedroom and woken him up. Not a hideous early time (6.45 this morning) but obviously we need to stop her from doing it as it's not fair on DS.
Maybe it's just because she is so excited to be in her bed and proud of herself for being able to get out of it and it won't last. But maybe not.
Has this happened to anyone else and how did you deal with it please?
Both of their bedroom doors are shut but ours is open.

TIA

we used a stair gate over the door it means she can open the door but cant "escape"

Stair gate across her bedroom door perhaps?

good thinking! and it just so happens that I have one that I used last year at the patio doors and was about to try and find it a new home.
I might wait until tomorrow night and tell DD what I'm doing though otherwise I can image her just walking straight into it in the morning and doing herself some harm maybe.

There is no saying that she wont just stand there and yell though!!!!

You could try bribery - if she doesn't go in and wake DS she can have X, Y or Z?

Or is she too young to get that? It's so long since I had a 2-yr-old I can't remember!

I like that idea lostinfrance! She can go into the guest room which is directly opposite her room and I can leave soem toys etc in there.
I did sort of try your idea WendyWeber. Only I reserved it I suppose and told her that if she did it again and woke DS then she would have to go back into her cot and she seemed to take that in.
Thanks for the ideas.

Mind you, at 2 she will wake up at 6.45 most mornings. I think it's really sweet that she goes into ds's room. Depends on how you feel about it, but it wouldn't take long before she stopped disturbing him and would probably drop off again for another half hour or so. Not good at weekends, I understand, but on a school day it wouldn't be so bad. I'm looking at the positive ... what a bond those two must have

you're right dumbymummy. it's not the fact that it's early-ish it's just that some mornings DS wakes up about 6.30 for a bowel movement and doesn't go back to sleep (although he does read/play quietly in his room.) But so on the mornings that doesn't happen it's best if he gets to sleep in as late as he needs to. When he came out onto the landing this morning he looked awful and I felt so sorry for him. DD was just so excited to tell him that she'd got out of bed by herself I guess. DS said that she came into his room 'doing a funny dance'

Phases, I guess, McKenzie. It is difficult but I feel in my bones that the outcome of this will be excellent. Your son is going to adore/protect/elevate your daughter all through their lives. Little moments like you've described, however exasperating at the time, will always be remembered and retold for years to come.

Would you object to her coming into your bed at weekends? Could you reason with her in a way she might understand, that on school days she can go to ds's room, but on other days she either plays in the guest room, or gets in with you (and stays quiet).

well after all that DD obviously had understood our little chat as when whe woke this morning (about 8am ) she called out to me and was still lying in bed when i went in, with DS. Pretty much the first thing she said was "I was a good girl and didn't wake DS. I dont have to go into my cot again do I?".

So fingers crossed for the next few nights and thanks again to all who posted ideas.

Ah, that's great Mckenzie. I was dumbymummy yesterday in case you're wondering. Changed my name on a little whim!

I hope I haven't tempted fate though by saying what happened last night! tonight could be quite different huh?