[loveajax]

DD will fight us tooth and nail re: going to bed, but will finally fall asleep in her bed. Inevitably though, at around 1 - 3, she will wake up and come into our room and crawl into our bed. I am usually too tired/asleep to bring her back to her room/fight with her. To tell you the truth, I don't mind THAT much, but I feel like I am creating this awful "habit." Any tips? TIA!!

[Amaurosis]

No first hand advice, but my best friend had some success with her (then) three year old using a reward system. He got a gummyworm every day if he could stay in his bed "until it was light outside." Eventually, she transferred him to stickers on his chore chart (which includes stuff like brushing teeth, washing face, etc).

Good luck!

[loveajax]

OMG...I like it....she responds well to candy "rewards"!!! Thank yoU!!!

[DPline]

With my oldest son when he was around your daughter's age we did the reward system similar to Amaurosis mentioned. He got a sticker for each night he stayed in bed and after X number of nights got to pick out something at Toys R' Us (within reason!)

I am now older and more tired and go with the philosophy that in not too many years they are going to be teenagers and want little to do with me and I am going to enjoy the snuggling while I can!

[specialk4b]

Ummm... I've solved this by climbing into his bed with him. That's probably the wrong answer . Suffice it to say we're still struggling with this one, too.

[McNally720]

MAM goes through phases like this--when I can, I bring her back to her bed and wait til she's asleep and then return to my own bed. Other nights, it's not so bad....and earlier this week, she came in, I got up with the baby and when I returned, she was completely hogging my side of the bed, and hubby was snoring like crazy. So baby and I shut the door to the kids room and I slept in her bed!

As long as she is truly asleep, I don't really mind too much!

[loveajax]

Thank you, guys. The funny thing is I opened my eyes this morning and she wasn't laying next to me so at least for last night she managed to stay in her own bed!! (Of course, she came bombing in at 7 -- morning snuggles I can handle!!!!).

Mcnally, congrats on your new baby!!!!

[SchmennaLeigh]

Nick was wanting to get up and start his day too early recently so we bought him a digital clock with BRIGHT, LARGE numbers for his dresser. He knows he has to stay in bed until it says SEVEN-ZERO-ZERO.

Perhaps this will work for middle of the night wakings as well?

[loveajax]

Jenna, Nick is smarter than my DD. When she sees 7s, she says "THREE!" hahahaha. But maybe when she masters her numbers!

[MamaChinch]

I put a nightlight on a timer and told DD that she could not get up out of bed unless the light was on! I set it to come on around 6:30 am. This works a lot, but I also used a reward/sticker system for that which helped.
She has a toddler bed and the other night she told me that if she had a big bed she would stay in it!!! UGH!!!

[ermiller]

I have the same problem with my 3 year old, so you are not alone as noted by others.

I like Jenna's idea. Maybe we'll see if Natalie knows her numbers well enough to follow through with that one!

[SchmennaLeigh]

Originally Posted by loveajax

Jenna, Nick is smarter than my DD. When she sees 7s, she says "THREE!" hahahaha. But maybe when she masters her numbers!

Nick boycotted the number seven for a long, long time. It was so strange. HAHA!

[qs mom]

I had to laugh at boycotting the number 7. I think all kids do that. For my nephew it was 14. My son it was 15.

[SchmennaLeigh]

Too funny.

[Betelnut]

Am I evil?

I actually shut her door. She can't open it. Luckily she sleeps the night through very consistently.

How about putting up a gate? Would that work?