Dreading tonight

[missuspirana]

My son is 2 and a half and we have just transferred him from a cot to a bed because he was climbing out. He wasn't a great sleeper before but we had established a routine and he was settling down by 7.30.
Now he won't stay in bed and has started screaming in the night for two minutes then falling asleep. It's becoming so draining as no matter how many times we put him down he will leave his room. I don't want him to get so upset which happened when we kept returning him to bed. He no longer naps during the day.
Another point is that I will be starting an OU course in less than two weeks and I need him to be asleep by 8 so I have enough time to study.
Please help.

Sounds like you just need to carrying on doing what you are doing and he'll get used to the idea.

Hi there. Have you seen/read about Tanya Byron's 'rapid return' technique (House of Tiny Tearaways). Its really similar to what you are doing at the moment, but it might give you some support to follow a proven method.

Having seen Tanya interviewed, it can even take 100 times of returning a child to bed! But each night will get less and they will eventually learn. Think you will need a backbone of iron but I'm sure you can fix it.

Best of luck - you might find that other mums on this site can offer you advice on how it works.

tie the door handle to the banisters with a dressing gown cord
then he can open the door a bit but not enough to get out
leave a small light on in his room
he will get the message and get back to bed.

it worked for us and i am the softest mummy ever. do baby whisperer shush shush back to sleep and all that.

even now dd1 age nearly 3 all i have to say is "if you want the door open stay in bed. if you keep getting up i will shut the door." she stays in bed!