21 month old climbing out of crib

[taximomfor4]

My friend's 21 month old keeps climbing out of his crib and running around after she tucks him in. My kids didn't do that -- what do others do when kids get to this point?

 

[Gabes_mommy]

Sadly we switched to a toddler bed. Now putting DS to bed is much more time consuming. I miss the old days when we could put him in his crib. Now most night he climbs into our bed.

ETA - we actually have to stay in the room with DS until he falls asleeps otherwise he will not stay in bed.

 

[Carly_Roach]

My friend's 21 month old keeps climbing out of his crib and running around after she tucks him in. My kids didn't do that -- what do others do when kids get to this point?

I believe what my parents did was tie a sheet over the top of the crib when my sister started doing that. They were concerned about her falling out once she'd reached the top.

But that was in the unenlightened 60's.


It worked, though!

 

[dawson5]

From what I was told, I used to do this. I think from what my grandmother said, they would stay in the room, sit next/near to the crib and wait for me to sleep.

 

[bengalbelle]

My daughter was around 2 before she started trying to climb out. We tried the twin bed but she just wasn't ready for it. She was scared. We bought a crib tent instead. It was around $50 or 60 but it was the best solution. She actually liked it and would tell us every night to zip her tent. It was like this but fit a full size crib http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3712127

My son started climbing out at 2 and moved to his twin bed with no problems, other than getting up 50 times a night

 

[disney1990]

Wow, I wish I could have kept our daughter in her crib until she was 21 months.

She was climbing out before she was a year old.

We had to put the side down on her crib and put up a baby gate at her bedroom door.

 

[RadioNate]

They baby gate the door and put them in a twin bed or a mattress on the floor.

Or at least that is what we did when our ds started jumping at 15 months.

 

[JessicaR]

My youngest did the same thing. We bought him a toddler bed that was very low to the floor. He still ended up in our bed every night. Its OK though he is 12 now and not doing that anymore.

 

[puffkin]

I considered us lucky that DS made it to 21 months before he started DIVING HEAD FIRST out of his crib. No climbing for him....He would push off and dive head first over the rail. After one demonstration from him to see how he was getting out, the crib was immediately converted into the toddler bed. At least then if he wanted to get out he would be safe!

We have pets so we have always kept his door closed since birth. I just put a door knob cover on his door (inside) so he couldn't get out and baby proofed the room and let him go. Even now (3 1/2) he rarely gets out of bed but will call for us. I guess once he realized he could and it wasn't "fun" anymore it lost interest, LOL.

 

[CathrynRose]

Every morning I would wake up to my (about 21 mos old) sleeping in my bed. Every morning.

I finally just lowered it, so he wouldnt fall and hurt himself in his midnight escape to my bed.

 

[Mouse House Mama]

Buy the kid a regular bed and put the crib away. It's dangerous to climb out.

 

[AKL_Megs]

Not to be a Debbie Downer, but it is funny you post this, because JUST the other day, my DH's cousin's son (a notorious crib climber) climbed out of his crib in the middle of the night, somehow landed on the corner of his dresser, and needed 10 stitches on his scalp!

Sounds like it is time for a Big Boy Bed!!!

 

[clovergirl5]

We went to toddler bed and baby gated the doorway. Dc were still able to get out and play but eventually got tired out and sometimes fell asleep on the floor Baby gate was so they couldn't roam the house or fall down the stairs while we were in bed. Worked great! We are getting to that stage now with dd2. Probably in the next couple weeks she will upgrade to toddler bed. (She's getting her fav minnie mouse bedding for xmas, so I want her to be in her big girl bed by then).

 

[Carly_Roach]

Every morning I would wake up to my (about 21 mos old) sleeping in my bed. Every morning.

AWww..... That's sweet.

 

[taximomfor4]

OP here -- thanks everyone for the advice. Only my oldest (now 16) escaped her crib. She was 11 months old and was doing the head-dive over the HEAD of the crib. I emptied out her room (so it would be boring), babyproofed it, put her crib mattress on the floor, and put up a baby gate. She grabbed her blanket and her stuffed giraffe, and slept on the floor by the gate every night for a looooong time. But well before 2 yrs old, she was just sleeping on the mattress (by then it was on a toddler bed frame though).

Since my friend's son is older, I didn't know if the same idea would work. My friend is kind of resistant to taking the stuff out of his room, she just got all the baby stuff OUT of the living room. I told her her kid isn't even 2 yet -- her living room won't be HERS for a long time to come, lol.

 

[DizBelle]

duct tape has many uses....

The Mythbusters recently did an episode where they lifted a car with duct tape. Seems like it could hold a 21 month old.

 

[clovergirl5]

We never removed anything from dc room. They had their toys, dresser, etc. We braced the dresser and toy shelves to the wall so nothing could tip over on them, and of course babysafe toys and stuff. Made sure all outlets had covers on them and blind strings were cut and put up high. We never had a problem, but I totally understand the concern of taking everything out. I know I was checking on them alot when they were in there gated up just to make sure they were safe. I think the mattress on the floor is a great idea too

 

[mjkacmom]

Crib tent. It seems like twins are notorious for climbing out early, and lots of twin moms I know used them and loved them.

 

[taximomfor4]

We never removed anything from dc room. They had their toys, dresser, etc. We braced the dresser and toy shelves to the wall so nothing could tip over on them, and of course babysafe toys and stuff. Made sure all outlets had covers on them and blind strings were cut and put up high. We never had a problem, but I totally understand the concern of taking everything out. I know I was checking on them alot when they were in there gated up just to make sure they were safe. I think the mattress on the floor is a great idea too

I only removed all the stuff out of the room because I needed dd to be bored enough to go to sleep. The walls weren't enough to keep her occupied for long, lol.

My friend only has toys and shelves in her son's room, but she is rightfully concerned that he will go shelf-climbing. He's a climber for sure.

 

[clovergirl5]

Yeah, my dc weren't climbers, although dd2 might be a different story.