He Understands

I had a rough time getting Calvin to transition into his toddler bed. He would just crawl out the moment I put him in. Nothing worked to get him to stay in bed other than me laying on the floor until he fell asleep. I grew tired of that drill very quickly and had to train him somehow. However, he didn't respond to anything I tried. I warned of a time out, to which he would reply, "Yes Mommy, I go in time out." I would tell him over and over sternly, "STAY IN BED CALVIN!" I tried the Super Nanny technique of returning him to bed saying nothing. To which he would immediately get out of bed. GRRRRRRRRR

I completely lost my patience one night after about an hour and countless times of returning him to bed. I closed his door and stood outside holding it closed. While he was screaming and crying inside the room, I was crying and praying outside of the room. I had come to my end and had no idea what to do. I was mad and completely frustrated. As he and I cried on opposite sides of the door for two minutes I prayed, "Please God, I am in desperate need of wisdom here. What do I do?"

I opened the door, hugged him and cried with him. I told him that I loved him and that he needed to stay in bed. We both calmed down and I returned him to bed. I prayed with him again, kissed him again, and said good night again, and left the room. He didn't get out of bed again that night. Had I figured out his currency? Had that really worked?

The next 3 nights, I warned him that if he got out of bed, Mommy was going to close the door for two minutes. He pushed the limit and had to have the door closed while he screamed and cried on the other side.

He no longer gets out of bed at bedtime! Until tonight. I put him to bed and went in to pray with the girls. When I came out of their room, he was in his doorway waiting for me. I walked him back to bed and asked him what will happen if he gets out of bed. He replied with, "Mommy will close the door. And then I will be sad. I stay in bed and Mommy, you leave the door like that." Not just a sentence of understanding, but a paragraph of complete acknowledgment of behavior and consequences. What a smart cookie we have on our hands. I love this little guy. He is a crack up, and he melts our hearts at the same time!