I have a climber

I posted something about this last week, but I think it was worded wrong. I'd had a really bad day and I think it came as more of a complaint than a question. But this is a legit question :)

I have a 22 month old who just started. He never had proper naps at home, which was sort of discussed in the interview - I feel like I was misled a bit but since I've spoken to mom and dad they are totally on board to do the same on the weekends as I do here.

So, he is expected to take the same naps with the other kids at the same time. He falls asleep rather well, but it's when he gets up. At the moment, he's in my room. Which is good, but he will eventually be tranferred to the nap room, which is also my office. Now, when he wakes up, he cries for about 5 minutes (I;m still sleep training him) and then he climbs out of the playpen. I don't want him to climb out, but I don't know how to stop him! Either I go in and put him back in every 5minutes and he cries and wakes everyone up, or he climbs out and can potentially hurt himself.

Anyone have any advice?

I went thru exactly the same thing with a child the same age. Here's what I did . When I put him to bed I said in my big girl voice "no climbing out" and I had a baby monitor in the room as soon as I heard him climb out I would go in and say " I said no climbing out" and I would pick him up and put him back in regardless if nap time was over he had to wait for me to take him out sometimes when I went in I startled him cause he was playing with my sons toys .... He started to climb out less and less and the days he didn't climb out I really praised him. Now he never climbs out. Took about a month but it worked

THANK YOU! no one's been answering me and I was desperate lol this is somewhat what I've been doing, I just don't like that he cries when I put him back cause he wakes up the rest of the kids, but if I stay consistant it won't last long.....right? lol

I guess every child is different but mine took about a month to completely cure him and he too would cry when put him back and now when I put him in bed I say " no climbing out no crying" everyday .... Now if he wakes up before quiet time is over I go in and say " it's not time yet go back to sleep or lay quietly" and he listens for the most part once in a whole he gives me more grief but not as a rule...... Even today the first day back from two weeks holidays he went to bed at 1230 and got up at 4. I was pretty impressed, now that I have said that I'm sure he will give me problems tomorrow ... Hahaha ...... Good luck ... Once he sees that you are consistent and you really mean it I'm sure it won't take long .... The key for me was to never let him up unless I lifted him out of the playpen .... If he climbed out he had to go back in and wait for me.

Maybe his age is too old for the crib? by the age of two I transition the children to the floor mats. When they get up they are informed to quietly come out not disturbing the others. you cant make him nap as long as others, if he only needs a short nap, allow him to get up and look at a book or watch a quick show. (at that age, I have really cute alphabet, color, and shape videos the children watch) maybe you could play that if your busy, or read him a book and bond with him while the others are sleeping. My rule of thumb is: if they can CLIMB out of a crib...they are too big for a crib. :)

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Originally Posted by kidlove

.... My rule of thumb is: if they can CLIMB out of a crib...they are too big for a crib. :)

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This is my practice as well ... I generally start to transition to a sleep cot around 18 months and just set the expectation you stay resting on the cot.

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Originally Posted by Inspired by Reggio

This is my practice as well ... I generally start to transition to a sleep cot around 18 months and just set the expectation you stay resting on the cot.

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He could never sleep in a cot. He is WAYYYY too busy. He wouldn't stay in it. He would run around all day. Even now, he climbs out of the playpen and runs around my room. There is not way I could get him to sleep in the cot. And I am not willing to take him out before nap time is over because he only sleeps for about 30 minutes - I need my break! He's a busy little guy and cannot be left alone to do anything or be expected to play quietly. I've never had a kid like him before. He requires A LOT of supervision. He doesn't listen to simple directions, so telling him to stay in a cot wouldn't work. He's been chasing my dog around for two weeks, my dog almost bit him yesterday because he cornered her and tried to shove cars in her mouth. I tell him about 15 times a day to not touch the puppies. He doesn't listen. Whether I'm there or not, he does it. It's like he can't control himself.

I think what I am going to do is put my son's video monitor in the room. When I see him start to climb out, I'm just going to go over the speaker and tell him no. Might freak him out a bit, but maybe just enough to keep him in playpen. I can handle most behaviours, I can deal with agression (as long as it's not severe), I can deal with not listening, but I can't deal with no naps. I need the time to myself. I'm go-go-go for 14 hours a day, I need that 1.5 hour break in my afternoon to clean, EAT and relax. I am not willing to give that up. :)

That sounds like a plan than ~ I would just keep persistently and consistently telling him the expectation is to lay quietly in the crib than and hopefully he gets it soon :(

How does he nap at home?

That was the issue with the one I described above .... Non stop and didn't listen to anything and figured if he could do it then it was okay ... First day here he scaled my staircase on the outside got up on tables and jumped off same with the back of my couch ... So I had to go all hard core on him and he is required to be in his playpen during nap tine whiter he wants to sleep or not and he could never be trusted at this point to be on a cot. Some children just need a firm hand and this is one of them ..... The parents say how much better he is now and is actually a joy to be around .

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Originally Posted by Inspired by Reggio

That sounds like a plan than ~ I would just keep persistently and consistently telling him the expectation is to lay quietly in the crib than and hopefully he gets it soon :(

How does he nap at home?

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He doesn't lol I spoke to mom and dad and told them about my expectations. They were totally on board. They were even thankful because they said they needed the break during the day. The only difference is that he has his own room, so when he choose to get out of bed, he can play quietly in his room. Monday, they said he actually slept for two hours. Yesterday he slept for almost 1.5 here but he doesn't have the luxury of getting out of his playpen here bc I don't have anywhere that is 100% safe. Yesterday, he plucked the plug covers off and I found my son walking around sucking on one. This kid CANNOT be trusted. I'm not 100% sure I am going to keep him. His aggression makes me nervous. My son doesn't like being around him. I try to be assertive and consistant, but it seems he always does it when I'm not looking so I can't discipline him for it. Anyways, different thread entirely lol

Why do parents let their kids "run" them? at a certain age all kids need rest and naps. That is in my contracts a child must nap to be a "right fit" and must nap during nap times. In the back it is listed as "grounds for termination" it IS very important for the child to have rest AND for the provider to get a break!!!! I agree. Hopefully the parents can work with you. btw. I read your post about the monitor in the closet....hillarious !!!!!!!!!!!! just picturing the kids face when your closet tells him to lay back down, ha ha ha ha ha !!!!

do you think there could be something wrong with him developementally? or do you think its just parenting (or lack of) ?

I have a climber too! I try to support him though because it could be useful when he's older but I make sure he doesn't fall. He is like Brandon Stark!