So last night Elizabeth managed to launch herself out of her crib to come looking for us. I had just gone in (1:30 am) to see if her crying was due to a poopy diaper (it wasn’t) and give her some tylenol (just in case it was another tooth, since she HAS cut five in the past month). As soon as I got back into bed, her crying suddenly sounded closer. Derek thought he’d heard a thump, and sure enough, there she was in the hallway.
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Tommy never did this! What should we do? I’m pretty sure we did the wrong thing, which was let her get in bed with us for a while since we were totally freaked out and afraid of concussion, etc. Though she did calm right down as soon as she was touching me, so I don’t think she was hurt at all. We’re trying to figure out how she possibly could have launched herself out…the crib is on the lowest setting, the bars come up to her shoulders…but we’re pretty sure that now that she’s done it once, she’ll do it again.
Advice, please! We just don’t think she’s big enough to move to a big girl bed or a mattress on the floor (it took a lot of discipline for Tommy to learn to stay in bed, and he was 9 months older when we trained him), but I don’t feel like the elevated crib is very safe now! Anti-crib friends–how do you get your little ones to stay on their mattress when they’re still so little? I’m wearing myself out just working on the concept of coming when Mommy says come, and she’s just 17 months old today–I’m just not sure how successful the training methods we used with Tommy will be with someone who can’t talk and is developmentally at a totally different stage (and someone who has NOT latched on to the “obey right away, all the way, and with a cheerful heart” concept yet). Has anyone used any of those crib tents that you put over the top of the crib to keep kids in? Seems extreme to me, but…
Oh.my.goodness! A new child, a new challenge! Aidan never ever tried getting out of his crib, or his bed for that matter! Maybe that was just a fluke incident and she won’t try it again? Hopefully!!!
we haven’t gotten to this phase yet, although i wouldn’t put it past Tripp- however, i do have a friend who used the crib tent for a long time with much happiness. i say try it without it a few more times, see if it was a one time thing (maybe put something soft for her to land on just in case?!) and then if she still gets out, go for the tent!
I also have no personal experience. But, I know a bunch of friends whose children are in daycare and they begin putting the babies down for naps on “cots” at 15 months (they also automatically switch them to one nap a day-which I’m not sure they are all ready for, but that’s a sperate issue). I am always supprised this is successful, but it seems they all do fairly well with the cots after just a couple of days. All that to say, maybe Lizzie would adjust to a bed quicker than you would think. Instinctively, I think having the mattress raised just a little bit would help with the impression that she isn’t to get out (I know Christina would get right up if the mattress was right on the floor). I think I would worry too much if I knew Christina could climb out of the crib, and I wouldn’t want to spend the money on an extra piece of baby paraphanalia (not to say the crib tent isn’t effective-I have no idea).
Hmmm…well, I don’t know if you’re going to like my answer–sorry! I would say, discipline in all cases. If you catch her trying to climb out ever, discipline immediately. If you decide to go for the mattress on the floor plan, teach her to stay on it. That usually takes a few days of you, sitting by her bed, and disciplining her every time she moves to get off of it. Use phrases repetitively–“It’s time for bed, it’s time for you to stay in bed, goodnight Sweetheart.” Every time you have to discipline her for trying to climb out or get off, repeat the same phrase. After a few times, she’ll attach that phrase to an action on her part.
I’m not sure you did the wrong thing by letting her climb in bed with you guys. She was probably almost as scared as you were, and you both needed the comfort of knowing she was ok. The next time, though, put her back in bed with whatever bedtime speech you’ve chosen.
She can understand way, way more than you give her credit for. Rose has learned to manipulate mom so that she can get toys from the big kids, and I’m just now figuring out the system that she’s been employing for several months. She will respond to discipline. It will be hard, frustrating work, but with consistency and determination from you guys, and an unwaivering attitude about it, she will learn. View it as a battle of the wills for you two, realize you’re in it for the long haul until she obeys, and don’t take it personally (that’s the hardest part for me). She is trainable, I promise!! She’s a Muller, right? She’s no dummy! And remember, this is how God has told us to train our children. She won’t die 🙂 She’ll learn and grow in obedience.
I just wanted to share, Emily, that we went through the same thing with E about two months ago, right after we moved (though it thankfully wasn’t the middle of the night when she decided to show us she could climb out–it was shortly after she went down for the night). We did some snuggling to make sure she was okay and put her back down–and she hasn’t done it again! I’ve seen her lift her leg up onto the rail and have told her no, you’re going to fall and hurt yourself, etc. I’m not sure if it’s fear of falling or of discipline or none of these that have kept her in, but we thought we were going to be dealing with a toddler bed much earlier than we had hoped… but haven’t had to think about it again. So maybe Lizzie will follow in E’s footsteps–I hope so for your sake! Now climbing out of her pack-n-play is another story, but she can do that well without hurting herself and doesn’t sleep in there often, so it’s not nearly as big of a deal so far. These little monkeys!
Unfortunately I never had this experience either! But, sounds like you got some good advice already! Just let her know she has to stay in her crib, but if you do decide to put her in a big girl bed with rails on the side, she might do better than you think. At least if she does get out of that bed she won’t hurt herself. Our kids weren’t much older when they made the transition into a bed. You can always put a child gate on her door so she won’t be able to leave her room too. She is a very bright little girl and will definitely be keeping you on your toes!! 🙂
I actually don’t have a problem with Sam getting out of bed. Most nights (and naps) he plays for a while in his room, and then meanders over to the bed and wrestles with Bear and Bernard. He eventually falls asleep in mid-wrestle (usually about 20 minutes after I put him down –It’s really fun to listen to his play). There are the occasional times I need to remind him that it’s time to sleep, but I can usually just poke my head in the door and whisper, “Sam, don’t forget, it’s time to sleep.”
I agree with Anna 100%. So much, that I don’t really have any different advice to add. I don’t remember when Geneva started climbing out of the crib, but she responded to discipline, and ended up still taking her naps in there up until this spring!!
Thanks to everyone–she stayed in bed last night, so I’m hoping that yesterday was just a fluke!