It’s been over a month now since we started using SleepBuddy with Caleb (almost 2) and he has been doing wonderfully! Before we introduced it we’d hear him calling for us until we went to get him out of his crib. Within 1 week we saw a drastic change and now there is complete silence coming from his room until it turns off. I have a video monitor and I watch him wake up, look at his SleepBuddy, point at it, lay back down and wait. When it turns off he jumps up and calls “Mommy” and points to it. It’s really cool to see how even at a young age he understands the concept. For the first few days I did entice him with a treat (a single chocolate chip) after he successfully remained quiet until it turned off. Now resting quietly has just sort of become his routine so I don’t even mention it.
I remember with my other kids that their compliance would go in cycles. They’d do very well for a few weeks and then start testing the boundaries! That’s when the reward chart came in handy because it made things exciting again and added a new twist to what was expected of them. For Caleb, I’m planning to hold off on using the chart until he transitions to a big-boy bed. Until then, if he begins to slide back into his old ways, I’ll change up the treat and get him excited about earning it each morning/naptime.
I’m planning to keep him in his crib as long as possible. Over the years of crib to bed transitions I’ve learned two things: 1.) The older they are, the easier it is to make the switch from crib to bed 2.)If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it! As long as he’s happy in his crib, there’s no need to rock the perverbial boat. I know it’s exciting to redecorate and break out that adorable bed, but trust me – life will be much easier for everyone involved if you wait it out a little while longer!
I’ll be sure to keep you posted! I’d love to hear some of your stories about crib/bed transition! Share your wisdom! :)