Over tired child and grown-up- help

annerbones

I am exhausted!! maggie is exhausted - but I can't get her to rest - she just keeps going and going. She will nap some days but not everyday, I switched her to a toddler bed but I am seriously thinking of bringing the crib back so that she is confined and has to go to sleep from lack of entertainment. Right now she gets out of bed cruises the room - etc.

I don't know what to do! I can't even think straight right now. HELP!!

Is it to much to put a 2 year old in the crib so that they are forced to sleep?

K&H

I know a 3+ year old who is still in a crib. It's certainly not horrible. How long has she been in the toddler bed?

TheOtherLovingMoms

Destiny will be 3 next month and she is still in a crib, for exactly the reason you mentioned. She is a little energizer bunny and would just keep going and going and going if she wasn't confined to the crib.

annerbones

Shes had the toddler bed since February - and has slept in it on and off since then sometimes in my bed sometimes in the pack n play.

I think I am going to set up the crib again - she needs to sleep and not play at rest times. She is so tired.

sara291

Riley still has a crib and I will use it as long as possible. I don't care to battle something that will effect his sleep. He does great and sleeps great so I don't see any harm in him staying in there. When we moved we put the dresser & crib next to each other amd Z right away climed out. This was at 25-months. The room was not set up its just how they were tossed in. He learned how to climb out that night and then naps went out the window and were so hard. Even once we set up the room he knew. The days were horrible and this was when Riley was 3-months and so sick and hard to deal with. Riley still naps fine at home. At work though he learned how to get out of a playpen and won't fall asleep because of that so I just sit and rock him for 5-10 and he is always out. If you tried that and Maggie struggled with it maybe make the room as dark as possible. We bought black out fabric at Joanne's & then turn on the sounds machine to waterfall. If I hear the boys up I go up right away to avoid giving Riley time to climb out. So far he looked like he may but has not tried.

old mama

If you would concider it (for nap time. I don't let mine do this at night)... When my kids were that age I put a blanket and pillow on the couch. They weren't required to go to sleep just rest a little on the couch--books or a stuffed toy were ok on the couch but other toys were off limits during this time. Most of the time they did fall asleep but being on the couch instead of the bedroom wasn't a battle. My 7 yr old still has some quiet time on the couch and sometimes will still fall asleep. Just depends I quess on how flexible you want to be I quess. I just wanted them and the house to calm down a bit and give us all a break.

Zen

Shiloh's bed stayed a crib until 3 too

Ibelieve

Zayden is still in a crib and I hope he stays there till he is 3! lol He would definitely be up and playing if he wasn't confined. :rolleyes: Some days he doesnt nap but he still has to have a rest (for himself and mommy!) and without the crib I know he would be playing and not resting. Without a rest/nap Zayden is absolutely horrible by dinner time.

First Hope

I might have read this one hour too late. Cyndi is currently taking down the crib. He has never climbed out but lately has showed interest in doing so. They are going to see Cyndi's mom in July and and there is no crib. Too big for a pack and play so we want to hopefully get him use to it before they go to her moms. He is 30 months and were getting ashamed but we didn't know others still had their toddlers in a crib. I will update you and let you know if we have major regrets. A LITTLE TERRIFIED!

mel

I don't understand why people feel badly about keeping kids in a crib past 2 years old or whatever magic age. Here's something to make you feel better:

My kids slept in cribs until they were 3.5 years old. 42 months. 1,278 days. And when we transitioned, it was easy because they were old enough to understand a routine, staying in bed, etc. They were also past the toddler destruction stage, so we haven't had any issues with them tearing apart the room.

So, yes, 3.5 years. Enough time that I'm sure others would feel guilty, ashamed, or judge me for it. And you know what? It doesn't matter! It doesn't matter how long they are in cribs as long as they are not used for abusive sorts of confinement, and the kids are healthy and happy and getting enough sleep. It just surprises me that people have negative feelings about it here, because in the triplet and higher order multiples world, EVERYONE advises keeping them in cribs as long as you possibly can!

Here are their first and last nights in cribs:


They don't look miserable, do they? It was fine.

First Hope

Mel, the only reason I said we were becoming ashamed was because w were ignorant to the knowledge that this was common practice. We thought we were the only ones. So I was not trying to be negative about it, I felt relieved that it was not so far off what others do. My nephew was out at 9 months.

K&H

9 months? Holy cow!
We're contemplating switching E in the fall after her 2nd birthday. I'm not so sure I want to. H thinks that she will be able to wake up and walk to our bed by herself, thus allowing us more sleep.. i think that's flawed logic and really unlikely to pan out. (the two rooms connect, so it's not like a trip down a long hallway or anything)
I think I'm going to continue to push for keeping the crib.

EMG_REL

Oh no, we will be keeping H in a crib for as long as he fits in it! Please put her in that crib, and get some rest!

Mel, I love love love those pictures. Adorable!

Ibelieve

Mel, I love your photos of the kids and your advice!
I have never understood why people take their kids out of cribs unless the crib is needed for a younger sibling or their child can climb out of it.

2moms

We had to put C in a toddler bed at 19 months old. His crib became a safety hazard because he could climb in it and to get back out he just threw his legs over the edge and let go! Needless to say a toddler bed is a safer alternative for our little over achiever. We've never had an issue with him sleeping in it though. He knows if we lay him down he better not open up his door . Before he naps he does walk around his room and sometimes pulls his clothes out of the drawers but it's not really that big of a deal. His newest thing is throwing all of his blankets out of his bed and sleeping on the floor with them.

sara291

2moms wrote:

His newest thing is throwing all of his blankets out of his bed and sleeping on the floor with them.

Lol. Z did the same thing especially at bed time. I would always ask him "Don't you want to sleep in your nice soft bed?" He would just reply telling me he wanted to sleep on his nice soft floor. He slept in his bed often & did not seem to have any issues with it but some reason loved the floor.

babymakes3

I dd that! Connor seemed to sleep better in the crib so we switched him back. What a difference!
I use to tell him it was rest time. He didn't have to go to sleep, but he had to rest his body. This worked like a charm