Son 2 1/2 won't stay in his new bed!

[Margaritaz]

Our son was great at going to sleep in his cot - bath, story & milk then pop him in & leave him to go to sleep.
We took the sides off his cot 3 weeks ago & it's all gone to pot. We have to stay by the bed till he's asleep otherwise he's out looking for us. Last night I thought I'd take a new approach & just put him back with minimal interaction. I did this 13 times one after another until I gave up as he was getting hysterically over excited, had to "wrestle" him back to bed then resume bedside vigil.
Feels like a massive backwards step to spend an hour every night putting him to sleep.
I've browse sleep forums on here & many people are saying what friends have said - that their lo's just stayed in bed where they were put. Our son has always pushed the boundary s & has an adventurous nature. Anyone have similar experience or tips?

DS1, 28m, has been in his big boy bed for a few months now, he prefers to sleep on the floor now, next to the bed

If he's really tired, he'll fall asleep eventually, so I'd try ignoring him for a few nights to see if he'll get bored of not playing the get back in bed game and just tuck himself in.

Is there a reason why you wouldn't just put the cot sides back on.

Big fan of don't fix it if it isn't broken here! Dd1 was in her cot until she was 4!

My ds was in single bed at 14 mths because cot bed was way 2 small 4 him, he went through the same thing of getting out of bed and opening his door, he has gate on his door, after keep going in putting him back numerous times I just ignored him and eventually it stopped when they realise no1 is cumin it gets boring. I think it's like freedom 4 them lol. My ds has been going through this again recently since 22 mth he turned 2 end of March and it's been hard as well as keep getting out of bed he has been waking in the night and at 5.30am, I have tried everything and this wk I told nursery 2 cut nap to 1 hr and I have been putting him to bed at 7.45 instead of 7pm and he got out of bed as soon as I put him down and I ignored him I had a really bad night no sleep and he slept on floor, tue night only cried for 5 mins then sleep (on floor) heard him through nite but ignored him and he got up 7am, last nite cried for 5 mins and slept on floor again but he went through till 6.30 I was feeling guilty boat him sleeping on floor but he's on a fluffy rug and he gets pillow and quilt of he's bed, I'm hoping he will eventually stay in bed but I don't want to be going in putting him in bed cos that will start a pattern of with him, they are so clever I think if you can just let him cry it out he will get there I no it's hard but u need try nip it in bud wish I had done it earlier instead of having no sleep 4 mths now. Drfunkes do u leave ur son on floor I feel guilty not sure if I'm doin right or not.

He's quite heavy blowinginthebreeze so getting him in & out was straining my back, also wanted to start doing stories & bed routine in his room rather than on our bed but obv that's a secondary thing

My son's habits sound similar to yours Grimesey. I've got used to decent sleep again so struggling with being woken at 5am!! I'm a soft touch & let him into our bed where he does go back to sleep for a while, concerned obv that this is encouraging a bad habit

Margaritaz I totally get letting him in your bed, sleep depravation is horrible and 5am is middle ov the nite if u ask me lol. I would start tonight putting him in his bed and just come put the room go down watch tv and just ride it out, I told my hubby we need work as a team and back eachother cos he is so soft with him, and luckily we do agree, it may take a couple of nights but he will eventually get that ur not going in so the only other thing to do is sleep, last night we put in the night garden on and really made a big fuss when the they was goin to bed and after it there is a bedtime stories on and we kept saying aww look all going bed and kept asking him was he going to bed and he kept saying yes bed sleep lol, it's worth a try I'm going to be doin the same tonight I'm hoping last night was the start of getting back to normal, I feel like I was gona av a breakdown I'm so tired. Good luck let me know how u get on. X