Part 1: Tips for your child who is escaping your bed

When our children escape their bed in the middle of the night and are met with a very loving and talkative voice, of course, they will prefer to stay with us! Furthermore, when we yell at our children or get frustrated with them for leaving their bed, that can also be a form of reinforcement. To our kids, any form of entertainment (us), whether in the form of positive or negative attention, is better than being alone. 

Here is what you can do instead: BE BORING. If your child leaves their bed in the middle of the night, walk them back to their bedroom and say as little as possible. If you have to speak, use a very neutral tone of voice.

Here are a few other things that helped us. 

1. I shut off all of the lights in my house and pretended I was also going to sleep (this might not be feasible for you, but it worked for us). This way, if my daughter were to wake up and attempt to leave, she would see that she was not missing out on anything- we were all “sleeping” too!
2. One key strategy that helped us was establishing a predictable bedtime routine. This not only sets clear expectations for your child but also helps them wind down and prepare for sleep.
3. I monitored the camera in my daughter’s room. If she attempted to leave, I met her as quickly yet calmly as possible and had her get back into her bed, so she would not receive any reinforcement from leaving her room. 
4. I tracked the number of attempts to leave the bed. Monitoring progress is crucial, as it will prevent you from giving up or trying unnecessary changes if it feels like you are not making progress.
5. I also used an advent calendar for my daughter- if she stayed in bed, she could open a box and get a little toy in the morning. 


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