DS got out of bed over 40 times last night - what to do?

[BettyButterknife]

DS is 2.9yo and has been in a single bed rather than a cot for a couple of months now. Always went down well, no real fuss, although he is an early riser and would normally sleep through until anywhere between 5.15-6.30am.

This past week we've experimented with leaving him on daylight saving time, so effectively putting him to bed an hour later (down for 8 rather than 7) and doing mealtimess etc an hour later during the day - this is all with a view to him sleeping later in the mornings.

Well, it sort of worked. We had a couple of mornings where he woke at 5.30, came into our room, but went back off to sleep after DS returned him to his bed.

But on Monday night he got out of bed maybe 5 or 6 times after I'd said goodnight. I did the supernanny trick of repeatedly returning him to bed without engaging with him at all.
However, last night DH lost count after 40 returns, and DS wasn't asleep until 8.40pm. He came into us twice, at maybe 12.30 and 1.30, and then woke for the day at 6.30am.

Any tips on a. getting him to stay in bed at bedtime, and b. whether we're messing with his head by putting him down an hour later than normal, which is causing all this fuss.

We said we'd try it for a week and see how things worked, but now I'm just not sure...

Hi. I know he's only still very little, but he is probably pushing the boundaries, seeing what he can get away with etc. I think you've been extremely patient up until now. I sympathise with you with having an early riser as my ds was, although not at 5.30, and still is. Perhaps you need to get tough with him for his own sake and yourselves. I would continue with what you have been doing, keep returning him to his bed every time, don't engage with him but firmly tell him he must stay in bed until mummy or daddy come to fetch him in the morning. Also, if 5.30 am/6 am is too early for you, then explain to him that if he must stay in his bedroom until you come for him.

It may take a few more nights but if you are cconsistent then he will soon get the message. He may respond to you buying him a little child's alarm clock as a treat for staying in his bed.

Also, is he potty trained? This may be affecting things.

Sorry, just re-read your post about putting him down later. Personally I would keep his bed-time exactly the same. I never changed times for my dcs and don't remember any problems. The only thing that concerned me was whether the lighter evening and mornings in the summer time would affect them, so I got some black out blinds and curtains which worked a treat.

HTH

i would just keep doing whar you are doing. just put him back each time .

the alarm clock idea really works for my niece!

its digital and she's not allowed to get up unless she sees number 7 at the start . she's 4.

He has one of those Gro clocks which you can set the sun coming up at a specific time. We tell him not to get out of bed until it's up but he doesn't take much notice - comes in to tell us the sun hasn't come up yet

But a potential breakthrough tonight - only out of bed twice before settling off to sleep by 8pm. He was totally knackered though - up at 6.30am and very whingey.

Will keep on keeping on with the putting back...

Thanks

OK. So, last night was an anomoly - DS is currently up and down like a bloody yoyo... think it's been at least 25 times tonight. Interestingly when DH put him down again (last night I did it).

Would it be really awful to get a lock for the outside of his door so he wasn't able to keep trying to escape?? Have I lost all sense of perspective?

We used a stairgate on DSs room at a similar age to prevent him coming out. We opened it overnight so he could come through if he needed us. But he soon got the idea at bedtime that he wasn't getting out. We also told him that he was allowed to play at bedtime as long as he was quiet and went to sleep when he was tired. He seemed to accept this better than "go to bed" and would potter for a few minutes before going to sleep.

Don't lock his door...just keep putting him back. It worked eventually, even with my extremely wilful DS.