Get Your Toddler To Stay in Bed at Night

Finally you’ve managed to get your toddler from the crib/toddler bed or even out of your bed and into their own room/bed. Only one problem, now they keep sneaking into your room/bed.

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Am I right? There are many solutions to this age old problem, but the most common one and something not many parents will want to hear is patience.

Tips for Getting Toddler to Bed:

-  Don’t make it a big issue- If your child toddles into your room and does the whole sad eye look don’t fall for it and don’t go, “Ooh he/she wants to sleep with us.” Or start screaming, “Get in bed, go back to your room.” I am not kidding, screaming at a child to go to their room/bed will only make them scared. Why suddenly is mommy/daddy kicking me out? Is something wrong, should I be afraid? These will only put terror in a child, sure they’ll go to sleep in their room but they’ll be scared and it’ll probably persist more.

-  Don’t give in.  Many parents will feel a bit of guilt over sending their child into a new room/bed. Don’t give in, no matter how many tears fall or are begged walk them back to their room. You may even want to lay them down and talk/sing/read a book to them.

-  Make bedtime a ritual- Children/toddlers want to feel safe and secure, one way to do this is make it a ritual. Dinner, play, bath, get dressed for bed, read a book in bed. They will slowly catch on and begin falling asleep very easily.

- No drinks after bed-  Many children/toddler beg for one more drink before bed, they even go well past bedtime just so they can get out. This sometimes will only make children get the urge to pee which means once again getting out of bed and in the middle of the night they get scared of the dark and run to the room that feels familiar. Allowing them to have a sip before bed may be just the perfect solution.

Do you have any tips/remedies that may help?