How did you keep your toddler in his bed?

When my son was about 15/16months old, we took the slide side off one side of his cot and got a folding bed rail, slots under the mattress and stops the child from falling out of the bed. We then got a new big boys bedding for him including pillow etc, so it looked like a complete new bed. The first night iwas in shock. I gave him his bottle, then brought him into his room, changed his nappy and then said ok, are you going to sleep in your big boys bed, etc. Lay him down, tucked him in, gave him a kiss and said gudnite, walk out of the room and closed the door. He didnt get up, he went straight asleep. Most nights this is what happens but the odd time, he will get out of the bed etc, we leave him to cry for about 10mins, then go back in and put him back in the bed and walk out, if he does it again, we do the very same thing except leave the time a bit longer each time. Eventually he just gets back into bed and goes asleep because he knows we are not going to take him out and let him stay up. We do feel bad when he cries but it had to be done to get him used to sleeping on his own because for about 3/4months he slept in our bed and we never got a proper nights sleep. Hope this helps.

My now 5 year old grandson was a problem when it came to staying in his bed at bedtime. Once he left the crib, it became a nightmare and an all out war. He refused to sleep at naptime anymore and to this day still won't take a nap so we let him win that one but bedtimes are so important and we wanted to get him on a schedule so he would be ready for the schedules of school and the world in general so, my daughter and I had to take turns but one of us would have to sit on the floor next to his bed until he fell asleep. Sometimes it took a long time for him to go to sleep. One night I sat there reading for nearly three hours before it was safe to leave the room. We can't even have his brother sleep in the same room with him because he wakes up every time his brother turns over in bed. So, I know this wasn't much help but it seems to go away more and more as they get older. Perhaps you will be fortunate and your son won't be a problem when it comes to his new bed! I am hoping that it works out for you!

we just layed down the law about it. When he got out of bed, and he knew he wasn't allowed to, he recieved a spanking. He eventually stopped. He's now 2 1/2, and won't get out of bed without permission. (which is great, we don't have to worry about him waking up in the middle of the night and wandering around the house.) If you don't like spanking, use whatever discipline works for you, and be consistent about it. Don't allow him to get out without your permission, and you shouldn't have any problems, it will take a couple of days, but eventually, just like anything else, they will learn there are consequences to disobeying mom and dad in this situation, and they'll usually just stay in bed. Good luck!

My son just turned two this month, but because I needed the crib for his sister he got his big bed at 18 months. At first my husband sat at the end of the bed until he fell asleep (my son, not his father LOL). Then he sat on a chair near the bed, then the chair was near the door. Then he stood out in the hall. Now, he goes to bed with little trouble. There are still nights when we have to put him back in bed a few times before he goes to sleep, but it's not a big deal.

You might want to purchase one of those rails that go on the side of the bed. Put the bed against the wall, and use the railing for the other side. This gives a sense of security. If this doesn't keep him in bed, be prepared to get up a lot and put him back in bed. Be consistent. Each time out of his bed, put him right back in. Eventually he will understand he has to stay in bed.