Alright, so I'll start the story back before Kezi was born. When Selah was about 18 months we converted her crib into a toddler bed.
We wanted her to be used to a toddler bed before the new baby came. We did have a toddler bed for her too, we just figured we'd make the switch slowly. At first she did fairly well. She fell out once in a while, but we kind of expected that. After a while we switched her to the other toddler bed so we could turn the other one back into a crib for the baby.
After Kezi was born some friends of ours were selling their german crib, which also converted to a toddler bed. It looked a little sturdier than the bed we had, so we bought it.
Now during this time, we also started finding Selah sleeping on the floor...
Or even on the chair...
I didn't mind it so much. When Kezi was born we had her in the living room for the first month or two, just till she started sleeping better at night so she wouldn't wake Selah too much. At first when we moved Kezi into Selah's room, it was fine. Selah was still doing her sleeping on the floor thing. But then one day when they were both supposed to be napping I peeked in their room and found Selah standing by Kezi's crib, with her arms through the bars, and touching Kezi's face. Of course she didn't hurt Kezi, but I didn't want to take any chances. So we turned her bed back into a crib.
Now the nice thing about german cribs (I'm not sure if they are all like this) is that they have 2 or 3 removable bars. This way you don't have to lift bigger kids out.
So Selah had been in this crib for over a year. I decided that on her 3rd birthday we would try keeping the two removable bars out of her bed, to see if she would stay in her bed. Well, lets just say that wasn't very successful. Oh yeah, and I should mention, the past few months even though the bars have been in her bed, she has been keeping Kezi from sleeping. She will sing loudly, or just talk, or throw stuff into Kezi's bed, or Kezi will throw her blankie into Selah's bed. Nap is usually the worst. At night time at least it is dark enough that they eventually fall asleep. Kezi NEEDS her nap, and well, Selah is happier in the evening if she has a nap as well.
Now we fast forward to last week. I had been starting off each nap/night time with her bars out, and if she got out of her bed I would put the bars in. Well just last Thursday she discovered that if she kicked the bars hard enough the two removable ones would pop out. She did that twice during her nap. And then just a while later I heard a big thump. She had thrown her pillow out of her bed and was trying to reach it over the side, and she fell out. So that evening I told Bruce it was time to convert it back to a toddler bed. So Friday evening that's what we did. And let me tell you, it's been a nightmare!!!
Night-time isn't too bad. There are two of us to deal with her, plus it's dark. Kezi is often asleep by the time we put Selah to bed (Kezi goes to bed around 8 and Selah around 9). But nap time is horrendous. Yesterday I kept going back in and putting Selah in her bed, giving Kezi back her blankie, etc. I tried just about everything to get her to stay in her bed. Kezi did not fall asleep until after 3. And Selah did not fall asleep until Bruce came home at 4 and took care of things. Today I set up the playpen in my room for Kezi to nap in. Selah is screaming in her bed/room right now cause she wants to sleep in my room too. NOT going to happen.
And that's about it. I'll gladly take any advice anyone has for dealing with toddlers at nap/night time!
10 comments:
Maybe the chart system would be worth a try?
Ok...I can talk about this topic for a long time! haha. Tate and Emily share a room too just like your girls do and they cannot nap in the same room. It gets even worse as they get older because now Emily is ready to entertain Tate from the crib as well - they both get each other so excited that they'd never sleep. SO, they do not nap in the same room and it gives us all a LOT more peaceful of a naptime. Tate just sleeps on our bed in our bedroom and Emily is still in the crib. At nighttime they both sleep in their own beds in their room and it works a lot better, because like you said - it's dark. Also, we went through that whole stage with Tate singing, talking, clapping, yelling, getting out of bed...doing anything he could to stay awake and also keep Emily awake stage. It was NOT fun and I remember being so frustrated. I tried everything too and nothing seemed to be working - BUT here's what finally worked, and it's kind of what the "mom" comment said - a reward. we went to the $$$ store and bought a bunch of little toys/things that I thought he'd like along with some special treats, etc. that he didn't normally get and put them in a box up on the fridge. We call it the "Tickle Trunk". haha! You can call it the "Mommy store" or whatever you want. Anyways, ever time that he has a GOOD nap and a GOOD night (as in he goes to bed without being loud, getting out of bed, calling me a million times for really silly thing, etc.) then he gets to pick something out of the tickle trunk in the morning. So basically he has to have 1 good nap and 1 good night and he gets a prize. I found he needed something pretty immediate - and that it couldn't be even a couple days worth of waiting for the prize since he'd get tired of waiting and decide he was just never going to get it....so it had to be quick for him. Hope that helps!!! :)
what if you try putting kezi to bed first, then when she's sleeping, but selah to bed. (for nap) i'm not so sure about the treat thing cause then how do you ever end that? couldn't there rather be a consequence for getting out of her bed or for being loud and keeping her sister awake? she's old enough to know she has to listen.
Mom - chart might work...
Andrea - I think we may have to try that. And today Selah went to sleep much better with Kezi in my room. I guess that's just how it will have to be for now.
Jamy - We tried many different consequences. She watched me put her favorite toys way up in the closet where she couldn't have them. Know what she said? "Oh, that's good". I do not understand this child sometimes!
oh that sounds like caden. i threaten to take a toy away, he says 'where are you gonna put it'. Makes me even more mad that he's so agreeable about it. Its suppose to suck.
Just for laughs - Dad just shared how grandma used to get them to nap. She would threaten to go get the rooster that the kids didn't like because it chased them around the yard, and put it in their beds with them if they didn't be quiet and sleep! He added, "Our eyes closed instantly!".
I don't think I'd scare them into sleeping, however, there must be a consequence for not listening...one that you're willing and able to follow through on and be consistent with.
Oh I'm laughing Sara! I like that Rooster story. Seems to me Ken had mentioned that to me a long time ago! There you go Heather, go get yourself a rooster!
Hmmm, I bet all our neighbors would LOVE it if we got a rooster, lol! We're working on it slowly. Separate rooms at nap time is definitely helping.
lol...that's funny. Harv never told me about the rooster.
Heather,I hope you find a solution that works. Kids do need to fully get what it means to listen & obey, so I'd personally go with consequences - "tough love." Love is the reward.
Heather, I don't really have advice for you because this is the number one reason we never had our kids share a room, but I know that isn't always an option for everyone. Savannah slept in our room until she got her own room, just because the problem you described is exactly what I was worried about. Adam gave up napping when he was around two and a half. I can totally see why you would let Kezi nap in your room.
Irina
Post a Comment