20 mth old wont stay in his bed - just wants to play

[AmDramMum]

Since moving our DS into his toddler bed the bedtime routine is shot to pieces. We are doing the same as before - you know the routine - calm, bath, stories, soft lighting, milk etc.. but when we say it's time for bed he's out of the bed as soon as we are out of the room. Do we need to just keep going in as soon as he steps out of the bed, wait in his room and pounce on him at every opportune moment?? The evenings are spent like this and he finally decides to go to sleep around 9pm even though he's been in bed since 7.30pm. I'm waking him up after 1hr nap in the early afternoon so I would have thought he'd need to sleep. HELP!!!

Oh god, if you get an answer to this one then I'm nicking the advice! My 2.3 yr old is doind the same thing. We've spent nearly an hour getting her into bed and I think I can hear the sound of Dh putting the cot bed side back on as I type this. She can go on till gone ten too, where do they get the energy from? Any advice for us mnetters?

My little one is straight out looking at his books or anything he can lay his hands on - am I supposed to completely clear his room out each night? I've tried saying nothing as I once again put him back in his bed, straight talking to the point,"It's bedtime now, go to sleep please," SSsshing, the works. I'm just hoping we haven't tried something that someone is going to say try.

Ds is 22mths and got one managed to get one leg over the side of his cot tonight when I put him to bed so I debating on taking the sides off tomorrow as I dont wanthim to hurt himself. But I know for a fact he will be a monster and run riot, we a in a flat and he would have to come through the lounge to get to our room in the morning and he can open all the doors. I know he will wake up and entertain himself without making a sound. I dont want to put a gate on his door if I can avoid it, but dont know any other solution.

I will be watching the thread

Jodie x

Well hate to admit it but we put the sides back on-decided dd just wasn't ready.

TO stop her hurling herself over the cot sides we have also put her back in a sleeping bag.

Life has been so much better since.