From Crib to Bed, an exercise in patience

Yesterday was an eventful day in our house.  Alex, our 2 1/2 year old son, took his first nap in his new bed.  Good bye crib!  He was excited and only got up once after my wife put him to bed.  Good job.  Last night was a different story…

I put him to bed at 8:15pm and went downstairs.  He seemed content, staying in bed and looking like he might fall asleep.  At 9:20pm though, he was up, out of bed and turned his bedroom light on.  I went up and told him it was bedtime and tucked him in.  He was up an instant later, and the next 63 minutes was straight out of an episode of Supernanny. 

Each time I would tuck him into his new bed, leave the room and close the door, he would get up and come to the door, turn the light on and ask for me.  He started off in hysterics, screaming that he wanted a drink of water, wanted to use the potty, wanted to have his diaper changed, wanted his hotwheels, wanted to get up, wanted to see Haley, wanted to see mommy… anything but go to bed.  After about 5 minutes and 15-20 tuck-in’s, he calmed down, but still got up each time I left the room.  After about 50 more minutes of this, he started racing back to his bed when I would open the door. 

I never spoke another word after the first time I tucked him in, I just gently picked him up and took him to bed and pulled the blankets over him.  It was a challenge to my patience to stay calm, gentle and not say anything.  All in all, 63 minutes (and nearly 200 tuck-in’s) after I came up to put him to bed the second time, he fell asleep.  I saw an epidode of Supernanny where it took over 2 hours, so I felt pretty good that it only took just over an hour.  I expect this to continue for a couple more days, then it should be done.  He will go to bed without getting up… at least that’s the goal.  I will keep you posted on how it goes.

It’s very difficult not to talk to your children and comfort them when they are crying and aksing you for things, but you know they are better off learning that bedtime is bedtime.  He calmed down fairly quickly, and then it turned into a battle of wills. 

Tonight it’s my wife’s turn to put him to bed, so I hope it goes a little easier and doesn’t take 63 minutes! 

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