If you had a toddler who would not stop getting out of their cot...

[Terramirabilis]

...How long did it take before you were able to have them sleep in a normal bed without getting out of bed 10,000,000 times per night? Our DS (3 soon) is the kind of child who becomes hyperactive and loses control of himself when he's tired, being more tired doesn't make him sleepy.

We've had to remove the base from his cot and have him sleep on the mattress on the floor inside the cot to stop him escaping. Yes, we've tried the returning him to bed method. For a month. No, it doesn't work for us. When he gets out, he immediately comes out of the room to find us.

My question is, if you had a child like this, how old were they before they would stay in bed when you told them to and therefore you could put them in a normal bed rather than a cot?

My Dd was in a bed by 2 it wasn't safe she was climbing out get him a bed

Tbh you might need to do a million put backs to bed they dont automatically stay in bed

Toddler bed & stair gate on bedroom door maybe?

We might have to try the stairgate Tupperware. It seems a bit cruel to be trapping him in there and unfortunately he's so tall (97%) I'm worried he'll be able to climb over it!

This is what I'm talking about MrsJayy, we've tried the million put backs and got nowhere.

All mine were in a big bed by 18 months with a stairgate on the door, and sorry but a million put back into beds will work but you may have to do 2 million, he will get the message but it sounds like he knows you will give in eventually, which you have done.

My DD is twice his age & will not stay in her bed. Absolutely refuses. Tantrums, silent, anything but stay in her bed.

Shes asleep next to me now
but Im going to carry her back in to hers in a bit.

Mine went into beds with a stairgate on the door at about 18 months. There was quite a long period of them falling asleep on the floor!

Both in big beds by 18m. For what its worth toddler beds are a waste of money too

I used to have to sit on Dds bed tbf just so she would go to sleep i then did gradual retreat she was a nightmare

Both my DC went into big beds at 18 months, when they were able to climb out of their cots. Toddler gate on door. Why is a gate in the door more cruel than keeping a climbing, mobile child in a cot?

Weirdly, once DS was in a bed, he stayed there. He was a bugger for escaping from his cot!

Have you tried a back to front sleeping bag?
If that doesn't work it's time for a bed. Put a stairgate on the bedroom door. I wouldn't keep going in the room, light off day goodnight done.

We took the side of the cot the moment he climbed out.

We then got a month of him staying in bed before he realised he could get out

We now do a combination of rapid return and bargaining with stories.

Assuming he's tired its mostly fairly quick. It's the days where we haven't completely knackered him out that are the issue.

It's not cruel to use a stairgate it's safe.

My DS had to move from a cot to a bed at 19 months. Kept climbing out and I was worried he would really hurt himself.

Watching with interest!

Ds age 22 months has just begun climbing out of his cot, and appearing downstairs. We have put a stair gate at his door for the first time today but now after 3 milks and a lot of crying, and then him either being or making himself sick, Dh is currently upstairs with him. This is a child who has self settled pretty much from day one bar a few phases of being difficult. I feel like my baby is broken and don't know how we can get him to lie down to sleep!!

I had to sit on the edge of his bed until he went to sleep and crept towards the door from there. No eye contact. No talking. Completely robotic but physically keeping him in there.

Why do you think it's okay for him to climb out of his cot, but unsafe for him to climb over a stairgate? Isn't the cot higher?

Both my DSes have been out of their cots since they were about 18mo - as soon as they could climb out. I do a mixture of gro clock / return to bed / cosleeping.

I don't see how you can keep him in a cot much longer tbh.

some kids stay in bed some do not. there is no rhyme or reason or 'better' parenting.

Keep putting them back. it takes a looong time..

and if anyone says 'we have a routine' i'll stick pins in their eyes.

We have a routine @cottagecheesequeen

It works brilliantly with DS2.

Unfortunately, DS1 did not read the memo.

No need to stick pins in my eyes. I've barely slept for six years so they're only partially open anyway...

I went through a spell of sitting on their floor until they fell asleep, same as I did when they didn't want to go to sleep in the cot. You do what you have to do to get through, even if it is 2million 'back to beds' with no interaction.

About six weeks of putting DS back to be eleventy-billion times at age 2. Well, at least 40 times an evening, every day. Then he caved. Doesn't get up now unless he needs the loo etc, at 3.9. If you've been going a month, he might give in soon. Maybe. Fingers crossed!

Appropriate name backforgood