Get. Back. In. Bed.

[charitychap]

Our DD is 2 next month. Every single night after baths, stories and lights out, she gets out of bed and walks out of her room. We put her back in her bed without a word (bar the occasional 'get back in bed'). This goes on for at least half an hour and often for up to an hour. It's been happening at least as long as she's been able to get up, when we moved her to a single bed many many months ago now.

How in the name of all that is good can we make her stop and reclaim that very important part of our already short evening?

A reward chart for when she stays in bed without getting out at all? A small reward for keeping it up for a week? Like a day out etc?

Hmm. Great idea in theory but she'd actually have to do it once to get a sticker, and it literally never happens. Suspect we might just have to wait till this particular phase passes!

Is she definitely tired? What happens if you stay with her until she falls asleep? She’s very little.

We're keeping the lunchtime nap a bit shorter where we can as that seems to help. Maybe need to make her run around more!

Maybe try a later bedtime? My son is almost 2 and started doing the same thing nightly. We kept his nap the same (obviously his waking dependant on him) and put him to bed 30 mins later. It's worked a treat. He stays awake for 15 mins to half an hour at worst occasionally but that is far and few between now.

Good luck