ds getting out of his cot/room every 10 minutes. Help!

[docket]

ds (2.3) has recently discovered how to get out of his grobag and climb over the side of his cot, open the door and appear, all innocence at our sides.

At the moment we are adopting a no-nonsense put him back without any fuss approach but it doesn't seem to be working, he just keeps doing it. He/we are exhausted. Obviously he's ready for a bed but this won't stop him exiting his room will it? Any top tips would be so gratefully received!

we had a stairgate at the top of the stairs - stops them coming down

Docket, sounds like you might be right about the bed...

You could try turning the grobag inside out and zipping up - he won't be able to open the zip anymore - we did this with DS1, but he was just escaping the grobag, not the cot as well, so you'd have to watch whether he could still get out of the cot, as he'd be more likely to fall.

You could also put a stairgate over his door so that he can't escape the room. If you ignore him calling for you (screaming in our DS' case..), he'll soon learn not to bother if you're firm about bedtime. It took DS 2 nights not to bother any more. Trouble is he won't be able to get back in the cot, so you might be better off biting the bullet and going for the bed. For the first couple of weeks it might be difficult, but he'll settle down. At least he can give in and crawl back into a bed..

Good luck!

thanks Oati, had thought of putting stairgate over his door but then he'll just be in his room getting cold. Hang on, perhaps that'll put him off

think you're right docket - sometimes they have to learn not to do something because the consequences aren't too nice!!!

I know someone who put their cot escaper in a bed and had to return around 50 times the first night. However it did work she didn't bother with the game after that!

buffy, our ds made that into a game that kept getting longer and longer and longer. we had to resort to ignoring him behind the door (v. high handles so he can't open the door...) - he was very very but it only lasted 2 nights and he's been fine ever since.

Thanks everyone. I feel reassured that it will stop if we're firm. I'm so tired after last night that I was feeling rather desparate!

um, despErate.