Most days, I feel "normal". Yeah, I have a two year old, but so what? Then there are moments when I'm like..."Wow, I have a KID! How'd that happen???" Then there are moments when I feel like "Gee, I'm a parent...when'd that happen???" Last night I experienced the latter.
Miles has become an escape artist. We used to keep a door knob cover on the inside of his bedroom door so he couldn't get out during nap and bed time. He always went down pretty easy if he was ready. Every once in a blue moon, he would somehow get the knob cover off the knob and get out of his room. A few days ago, he became proficient at getting it off. The other morning, he came into our room and I said, "How'd you get out of your room?" To which he replied, "I broke door!" Great!
We have been keeping it off now, because putting it on creates a total tantrum, and he can get it off anyhow, so what's the point? Then we tried putting the gate in front of his door. That also creates a total tantrum and he can eventually push the gate down. Now we have no more defenses...Short of putting a new door knob on it with the lock on the outside...
Last night, he went to bed, then got up, snuck out of his room (mind you we can hear him open his door), and peeked into the living room with a huge grin on his face. He'll even say "Oh, hi Mommy. Hi Daddy!" Like he's surprised to see us! I don't know how many times he came out last night, but I was ready to pull my hair out. If I had to say "Go back to bed" one more time, I was afraid I was going to lose it!
I felt like a parent last night. I remember doing that to my parents. I'd open my bedroom door and peek out. Sneak into the hall and wonder how on Earth they knew what I was doing when I'd hear one of them yell "Go back to bed" when neither of them had seen me. Ugh! Last night I felt like a parent...and I'm not sure I like that feeling :)
Any suggestions on how to keep him in his room at nap time and bedtime??? Well, I gotta go. I've got a two year old drumming in the living room when he's supposed to be napping in his bedroom...
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2 days ago
put a doorknob with a lock on it on his room and face the lock out into the hall so you lock it after he's in there. :)
ReplyDeleteI thought about that, but that seems borderline abusive or something... Hmmm...
ReplyDeleteI don't think it's borderline abusive. However, I might try just sitting outside his door with the lights off and putting him back to bed, without making eye contact or talking as many times as it takes for him to stay there. it would be much nicer for everyone if he could just stay where he's told. He's old enough. It will just test your patience. Better for a couple days though than for many, many days while you yell at him to get back to bed. I believe Mom and Dad called you and Anne ping pong balls. You were pros at getting out of bed!
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