Heading towards toddler bed triumph

If you happen to also be my friend on facebook, you may have been following our struggle to the toddler bed. Im not much for submersing myself if advice books and websites, but I did a little researching prior to committing to the toddler bed.


1) "Don't move the baby based on needing a crib. Many parents find it would have been easier to buy a new crib"

Oops. Daniel ate his crib. He also shook it so furiously, so many times, he stripped the screws and it was unsafe. I'm too poor to buy another (better constructed crib). Plus, the toddler bed I found on sale, with free shipping is TOO cute.

2) "Get your child excited about it"

He was REALLY excited, until he showed me how he was going to go "nigh nigh" and bashed his forehead off the headboard. Oops...again.

3) "wait until you child has the cognitive skills to understand the bed has imaginary boundaries"

Ummmm...isn't that what the guardrails are for? Plus, the words 'mummy, I understand the boundaries of this new sleeping arrangement' are not really in his vocab.

Well I guess I'm 0 for 3. I did however, have one thought that was my deciding factor. If I do it now, in the winter - it will be DARK during his bed time - and he wont be able to see his toys! Truly, I had hoped it'd be so dark, he wouldn't even be able to stumble out of bed - or if he did, he wouldn't be able to find the door. (is that messed up, or genius?)

The first night was pretty awful. He was overtired and had a bad attitude. The process was cry, leave bed, mom retrieves, repeat. Took about 40 minutes. He woke up between sleep cycles at midnight, and I had to return him to bed. Same thing 40 minutes later. To top it off, he was up at 630 a.m. (almost an hour early) and was not happy.

Tonight, I went into battle prepared. Bedtime routine started right on schedule. I dimmed the lights for his bath, and lit one of my spa candles. I put on the SPA music channel. Lavender sleepy time bubbles and shampoo, followed by the lavender bedtime lotion. In bed at 7 for stories. I was feeling optimistic when he even laid down to listen!

I used the supernanny technique to ease out of the room. I thought we did it, until the door clicked shut, and the crying began. After a few minutes, I realized its just the door completely shut that was freaking him out for some reason. This time I left it cracked. I just spent the last few minutes putting him in bed 5 or 6 more times - but it was all without a fuss. He would stand up, go to the door, I snapped my finger and pointed - and back to bed he went.

An hour later, he is in there, asleep. I'm going to hold off on closing the door though! Hope tomorrow works out just as well...I do work late, so I know the schedule will be a little off. Third time is a charm?