How did you get your child to take a nap when you first starting putting them in a toddler bed? Emma is almost 17 mths old and climbs a lot. I converted her crib into the toddler bed about a week ago. It stayed that way for about an hour. =). She loved laying down in the bed, getting out, getting in, laying down, getting out...and so on. Well, it was time for her nap, so I put her in and walked out like I always do with her bed. Of course immediately she got out and cried at the door, then stopped, and I heard her toybox open. LOL. She played for about 2 minutes then she sat at the door and cried. I was outside her bedroom in the living room just listening. I let her cry for about 10 minutes, then I went in and put her back in her bed and left. She screamed at the door for another ten minutes, so I went back in, put her crib back together and it has been like that since. She can't get out of her crib quite yet, but is really close, and she likes to try to climb in it. Anyway, I'm thinking maybe she doesn't understand she's supposed to stay there and sleep or why I'm leaving her in there. I don't know what to do. I know that many of you have been there and are there now, so what should I do? Thanks!

By Kittycat_26 on Tuesday, February 15, 2005 - 08:31 am:

This might not be the best way to handle things but I used to put Timmy in his room and close the door. Sometimes he would cry for up to 30 minutes and other times, he would not leave his bed. He would play with toys and other things. Sometimes he went back to his bed to sleep and other times, he took his nap on the floor.

I just went with the flow. If he wanted to nap on the floor, I was okay with that. We did the same thing when it was time for bed. There was more than one occassion that I went in to get him up in the morning and he was on the floor.

By Reds9298 on Tuesday, February 15, 2005 - 10:55 am:

Maybe you should just give it time. The toddler bed is a new thing, so maybe you should just let her 'experiment' with until it's not 'new' anymore, you know? Let her climb in and out, etc. Was she actually asleep when you put her down or not? Maybe she should actually be asleep when you put her down for a while if you can do that. Or maybe you could do some things that you do for your bedtime routine. Is she sleeping in there fine during the night?

By Vicki on Tuesday, February 15, 2005 - 11:06 am:

I also think it is just going to take time. Hind sight is always 20/20, but you probably shouldn't have given in so fast and put the crib back together. That is what she is going to expect to have happen next time you try it again. I think that you should talk with her about it and let her know that it is going to go back to a "big girl" bed on a date that you pick and then do it. It might take a few days for her to get the hang of it, but if you stick with it, she will do just fine. If you think about it, it is allot of new freedom that she has never had before. Also, I think that a crib provides a certain amount of security from being all closed in! All of that is going to take her a little while to adjust to!! Does she have a favorite doll or stuffed animal? Maybe make a little bed on the floor for that and have her practice putting that to bed. Make a big deal about the bear or baby laying in a bed and not getting up and going to sleep! That might help show her what you want her to do. Like anything new it just takes a bit of time and patience!! If you are nervous about her climbing out of the crib, I wouldn't wait too long to do it. I have heard that can be very dangerous! Hang in there, she'll get it!!

By Emdee on Tuesday, February 15, 2005 - 11:29 am:

That is about the age we put dd in hers (she too had climbed out of her crib and fallen). I just sat beside her while she layed there trying to go to sleep for her nap and she did great! She thought it was so special that I guess the newness of it all got her sleeping there and then it became habit. Maybe try just staying there beside her for a week or so while she falls asleep so she is comforted.

By Hdelfuego on Wednesday, February 16, 2005 - 07:56 am:

What I think we might do is get a double bed for her (that's what her crib eventually converts into) and get a mattress and box spring set so that I can put a guard rail on it...this is with all of it actually on the floor. When we're at my parents she'll take a nap in a real bed if I lay down with her until she goes to sleep. I definitely won't do that forever, just until she gets used to the bed. What do you think? Also, what age did you move your kids into a toddler bed?

By Hdelfuego on Wednesday, February 16, 2005 - 08:13 am:

Oh...she didn't sleep in the toddler bed at all. She sleeps fine in her crib, and no, she wasn't asleep when I put her down...but then she never is.

By Dawnk777 on Wednesday, February 16, 2005 - 10:05 am:

My older daughter went into a twin bed at about 20 months. I put the bed in a corner and had a guard rail for her. She was fine.

My younger daughter went to a toddler bed at about 20 months, too. At about 20 months, I got tired of changing crib sheets, since I usually managed to skin a knuckle everytime I did. Also, Emily had put a foot on the top rail of the crib and I didn't want her crawling out. She would have gotten a twin bed right away, too, but we lived in a different house by that time and there wasn't room. So, she got a toddler bed. We had the toddler bed against the wall on one side and then a guard rail, too. She slept quite well, there. I don't remember having problems with kids getting up excessively, when they were switched. I don't know if they were too young or not. I just was tired of the crib by that point.

By Kim on Thursday, February 17, 2005 - 12:11 am:

I did as Em and sat next to them and helped them get to sleep. If I didn't they would not sleep at all. After a while they got used to it and I was rarely needed at all.