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Arrghh - Ds (3.5) has learnt to open bedroom door

9 replies

feedthegoat · 11/04/2009 22:30

...and is still awake and driving me crazy! We had new doors fitted when he went in a bed and the handle was really stiff to begin with. Unfortunately he has now mastered it.

I started off with the supernanny approach of after first time just repeatedly returning him to bed without engaging in conversation. However, I have since cracked and started removing his cuddly toys one by one each time I have to return him to his room. Obviously this has been going on sometime now (not far off two hours).

He is awake but has calmed down and stayed in his room since I returned his favourite bear which I promised to do if he stayed quietly in bed for 3 minutes (he did and had been screaming house down at this point).

It started last night and was probably worse tonight as dh's friend was visiting so had been allowed to stay up abit and was giddy and showing off though we did try to calm things down before bed.

Any advice, tips or suggestions would be gratefully received.

OP posts:
StudentMadwife · 11/04/2009 22:32

stairgate

feedthegoat · 11/04/2009 22:40

We got rid of them ages ago as the ones we had didn't fit when we moved last year. But tbh not sure it would help as he can open the 2 different ones mil has for her dogs! He has many ways to test my sanity! He sounds like he's gone to sleep for tonight though. Heaven help me tomorrow when he's chocolate fueled too.

OP posts:
Umlellala · 12/04/2009 09:44

Leave the door open? Ask him (today) why he didn't go to bed?

feedthegoat · 12/04/2009 11:20

He's out with dh this morning but I will ask him later. Tbh I think it's just another attention/because I can type of thing.

He was opening the door to demand I pull the duvet over his head (he likes to go to sleep fully underneath it - another thing I hate!). But was then just leaping out to demand I did it again. He was giggling his head off till I started removing toys.

To top things off I opened a bottle of wine when dh got in last night (he popped out with his friend) and we didn't get to bed till 2 am. Ds was bouncing round bedroom at 6.20 am! He doesn't nap anymore so I'm expecting a particularly mardy afternoon at my mums.

OP posts:
lisad123 · 12/04/2009 11:23

turn the door handle around so he has to push up the handle to open it. Works everything ime

feedthegoat · 12/04/2009 11:40

Very crafty

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motherofmany · 12/04/2009 11:41

turn it round and make it reward based. just offer a star for the morning when he's stayed in bed from bedtime till morning. simple but works every time

feedthegoat · 12/04/2009 11:46

That may be the key with him motherofmany. Taking the toys in the first place didn't work but he did calm down when I gave him chance to 'earn' one back so you may be on best track with him. It worked for potty training too. Why is it when you get your stress head on you always need someone else to point out the obvious?

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motherofmany · 12/04/2009 12:01

i know...i've had 4 of them and i still forget. a simple reward based activity always works. even with my 13 year old.

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