Hey there crazy kids!

This is a post that’s been saved in my drafts for literally four months.  No time like the present to send it out, right? 🙂

Along with many amazing memories from our France trip, we also returned with a little munchkin that got very used to sleeping in a room with her mommy and daddy for two weeks.  Lizzie had never tried ‘escaping’ her crib before we left and I was more than content to let her be a crib sleeper till she turned three.  I’d done my homework and everything I’d read said that many kiddos lack the impulse control to stay in their beds till they turn three or older, and they also enjoy the security of a crib.  Fine by me!

Well, as often happens with a toddler, all my plans quickly changed.  The first couple nights back home were filled with nighttime gymnastics as Lizzie quickly mastered the art of climbing out of her crib in seconds flat.

Initially, when I put to her bed, she would stay put.  But somewhere in the neighborhood of 1 or 2 am, she would wake up and realize that her loving parents were not sleeping peacefully beside her.  The nighttime gymnastics would ensue…she’d run to our room crying, wake us up, and we’d begin the process of comforting her and putting her back in her crib.  This happened at least four times the first night before she finally relented.  The second and third night were even worse.  Sleep deprivation was sinking in and we were transported back to Lizzie’s newborn days.  This couldn’t last…

While Lizzie continued to practice her pole-vaulting skills, I got busy reviewing my sleep training book for possible solutions.  It seemed we’d have to transition to a toddler bed a bit earlier than I’d anticipated.  Easy enough – we could just take the front rail off of her crib and voila!  While this would eliminate the chance she’d tumble out of her crib and bump her head, it would also  make it easier for her to escape.  Eeeek!

Enter part two of our solution – a toddler gate!  I liked the toddler gate idea because it created a distinct boundary without giving Lizzie the feeling that she’s completely shut out from the rest of the house.  Let me tell you, the toddler gate was our saving grace the first week after we converted her crib.

That weekend, we had Lizzie help us as we removed the front rail from her crib and she also helped with installing the toddler gate in the door frame.  We explained all the changes to her and really hyped up that she was a big girl now and must stay in her room at night to sleep.  She loved how easily she could get into her bed and proceeded with placing every stuffed animal in her room on her bed.

The first night in her “new” bed, Lizzie immediately ran to the gate when I laid her down to sleep.  She cried for a few mins and we took turns coming to the gate and telling her we loved her but that she must stay in her room to sleep.  It was hard to hear her cry, but I reminded myself that we were reinforcing good sleeping habits.  After 10 mins, she had cozied back up in her bed and was sleeping like a champ.

The second and third night she put up even less of a fight – maybe five mins of crying before she went to sleep.

It was working!

By night four, after I left the room Lizzie walked to the gate and loudly proclaimed, “I’m going to bed!”  Then, she shut her bedroom door and tucked herself in.  Take that, parents!  We couldn’t have been happier.

Fast forward four months and Lizzie continues to be a good sleeper.  She loves her toddler bed and the toddler gate is just a part of the scenery now. In fact, she will sometimes go in her room and close the gate as a sign that she wants some alone time.

It was an interesting learning experience – as is all of parenthood – but I’m really proud that we stuck with our sleep training principles and found a good solution for our family.

And with that, I wish you all a good night’s rest!