Hello Moms! I need a little help. We have a 2 yr old who sleeps in his own room. We’ve been finding him sneaking out of his room in the middle of the night. The other day he tried to go downstairs to the basement and fell down the stairs. This morning we woke up to bread and cereal all over the house. Now, we do place the cereal and bread on high counters. I have no idea how he gets up there. I want to move him to our room but his dad will not allow that. We have put locks on all of the doors throughout the house to keep him from going into the garage and basement or bathrooms. My question is, would it be okay to put a lock on his room and have it locked from the outside? I feel guilty at the thought of it just because I dont want him feeling like a caged animal. But I’ve become so paranoid of him sneaking out in the middle of the night. After his fall the other day I felt like I failed as a parent. Do you have any suggestions? Thanks in advance.
I don’t see anything wrong with the lock on his door as long as it’s not abused . (Not saying you would just adding it in there) and do a baby monitor in his room so you know when he wakes up and can go into him.
Absolutely not. What about installing a screen door?
My sister used baby gates
A gate to his door would help
Baby gates stacked up in front of his door maybe? Or put a screen door in the doorframe?
Have you tried one of those high railed baby gates? They also have these sensor alarms you can put on his door that will go off when he opens his door to wake you guys up. I wouldn’t put a lock on my kids doors, but to each their own.
If my kid did this it wouldn’t bother me at all to lock him in. It’s about keeping him safe, you’re not being mean.
I would put a baby gate at the top of the stairs, or in a hallway if your house layout allows, so that he can come to you if he needs to but can’t get into any trouble or hurt himself?
We used baby gates in their doorway. But if that doesn’t seem to work then I would absolutely do that with a monitor in his room to see what he’s doing. But locking his door might get hard once potty training starts.
Baby gates locks aren’t safe in case of fire
Put a gate in his doorway…put the latch facing out of his room. If he’s a climber…use 2…one on top of the other one.
Use baby gates ! Do not put a lock on the outside of his door . If something were to happen to him and he couldn’t get out then that could be fatal . My daughter gets out of her room at night . Luckily we don’t have stairs but I leave my bedroom door open slightly so then she comes into me instead of wander around the flat x
They have cheap door alarms you can put on his door…if he opens it the alarm will sound and you can get him and put him back.
Why don’t you just put a baby gate across his door? There are so many different kinds, sizes and heights…
Use one those baby gates that mount to the door frame so you can leave the door open just Incase if emergency but he won’t be able to open the door to it
I’ve considered having my husband install a barn door (able to close the bottoms half and open the top half) so that we can lock it. Sturider than a baby gate.
Rather put a motion detector by his door that rings a bell in your room when its triggered so it alerts you but doesn’t scare him.
Locking him in is a safety hazard in the event of an emergency. Baby gates are more appropriate.
Baby gates or lock the door. If you feel guilty put a monitor in there just so you can keep and eye out. Make sure all smoke detectors are working and have fresh batteries
You can buy a sensor alarm that will go off when the door is opened or a simple bell on the door, that way you will wake up when he opens his door. Putting a lock on the door is a dangerous idea. In case if an emergency, like a fire, you need to be able to get to your child ASAP.
My sister tried the locks and got reported for abuse because it’s a fire hazard as well. I would assume the best idea is get the big and tall baby gates Walmart usually has them. They’re by Evenflo
Do a gate at his door
Never lock a bedroom door… so dangers for fire safety… try a baby gate
I use the plastic door knob covers. They can’t twist the knob to get the door opened! Rather have him in the room than hurt or worse! When my son was really young I had one on the inside of his rooms knob, absolutely. “Caged” or not, he was safe. Just be sure that all big furniture is secured to the floor. If he needs out you’ll hear him, trust me! If I was awake the door would be opened but if I was asleep you better believe it was closed. Too many scary things can happen.
Baby gate do not lock him in… in case of a fire and you cant open the door or can die!!
I wouldn’t lock him in his room from the outside if there was a fire he couldn’t get out get a door alarm that activates when he opens bedroom door
Tegan-Rose Ratcliffe my son does the same.
Get a baby gate for his door
We have an alarm on our 6 and 4 yr olds door. There are 2 different tones on it. They snuck out quite a bit, so this helped to hear them getting up. They don’t do it but once in a great while, but it also kinda scares them and they close the door lol Made me sleep better at night too knowing I’d be able to hear them and they are safe. We found ours at walmart.
I locked my kids in there when they were getting out of bed at night. I felt guilty too but it only lasted a few nights. I would do a baby gate if I had it to do all over again
Is the child sleep walking? I had that issue as a child. My parents put a half door on my bedroom locked from the outside.
There are also little white plastic alarms you can buy that chirp really loudly once a door is opened!
This gate is complicated to open and much taller than an average baby gate - could work for you!
Yes that could be a fire hazard he is sleep walking probably that can be treated meanwhile but little window alarm and put it on his door when he opens his door it will go off and wake you up
Hon don’t put locks on his door.I know you are trying to keep him safe but children and youth frown on that.Buy alarms for the doors like people have for pools.
You can’t lock his door from the outside and I also think you should not lock the bathroom, what if he needs to go potty? I would suggest putting a baby monitor in his room so you can hear him get up
You can buy these at Menards!!!
Nikita Wright when she first started getting out of bed at night she would go into the front room but the second I left my door open a bit she comes into me and then I just put her back to bed . Couldn’t imagine the stress and fear a child would feel when they couldn’t open the door to their bedroom from the inside . It would traumatise me as an adult ! X
You can get an alarm on his door that way if he opens it itll make a loud alarm sound. He’ll get scared and learn not to open his door. That and you’ll be able to hear it
^^ and if he climbs double stack them!
Get a camera to make sure hes not sleep walking. Or even its him.
Don’t feel guilty, he won’t feel like a caged animal, he’s 2, he’ll just realize I cant be out of my room until mom or dad come get me. Maybe try a baby gate by his door first. As long as he’s safe ur not a bad parent. Try the locked for the first few nights and tell him u can’t get out until mom or dad come get u. Then after a few nights and if he stops trying to get out his room keep the door unlocked. U can put a gate in the middle of the hallway and in the doorway to his room if u don’t want to lock the door
Definitely a safety issue. He is too young to take care of his self in the middle of the night.i know as parents we must get our rest and we don’t have eyes behind our head. You can close his door at night you just cannot lock it. I would put a baby alarm so when he opens the door it will not only startled him but it will alert you
Sarah Kordecki The Angel Sense alarm will alert if the baby gets out of bed. Or stops breathing.
This would be a perfect idea.
The child will soon learn that if they get out of bed…alarms will be ringing.
Something like this
There are cameras on amazon for $25 that you can set up with your phone and get notified if there is movement in his room or in the hallway outside his room. I have them for my kiddos’ room and it’s amazing. You can even talk through them. Much cheaper than a baby monitor and you can see.
Get an Angel Sense alarm. They work to prevent SIDS…but will Definetly send out a loud alarm if the child gets out of bed.
Faye Faye yes! Now it’s yo the point we forget to turn it on some nights. But they know it’s there.
Put a tall gate up in his door way.
I would recommend baby gates, baby monitor, motion detector, safety doorknob cover, ext before locking your child in their room. I understand how scary it is, but like others have said if there is a fire you may not be about to get to him in time
Don’t lock him in his room. try baby gates Or door alarms.
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Please don’t put a lock on his door always leave my bedroom doors open he has to have access to potty ,maybe give him some milk and cookie or maybe cereal at night before bed time maybe he gets a little hungry or get doctor to prescribe a low dose of something to make him sleep through the night maybe melatonin ,or he may be going to bed to early and waking up
Don’t do that. It’s a fire hazard. I would just put him in your room. Dad will have to get over it or he can clean up the messes everyday.
A baby gate is the obvious choice
Do you leave lights on? Maybe turn all lights off except one in your bedroom so he comes where the light is
I put a baby gate on my dgtrs room. I actually just leaned it across opening and she was never the wiser
No,it’s illegal and what if there was a FIRE!!!
Natalee Dickinson he is old enough to climb over the gate
Get a camera and have it loud while you sleep l…you should be able to hear him get up. Also input a gate on the top of my stairs so No one goes downstairs at night. I find my 3 years old in our linen closet next to our roo mm instead…lol
Have you checked to see if he’s not sleepwalking?
As a Prior firefighter and emt. DO NOT put a lock on the outside of the door. If anything bad does happen. Not saying it will. But if it does. He has no way of getting out of the room. He will have to wait on yall if yall can get to the room or wait for firefighters and emts. I will also say this. DO NOT put a plastic door knob cover on the inside door knob of his room. Again he cannot get out if anything bad happens. I would suggest however putting an alarm or a bell on his door that way you can immediately wake up to the alarm or bell and go stop him. Just please do not put the lock on the outside of the door. I would also suggest a tall baby gate as well as an added addition to the alarm or bell.
When my daughter was 2 I had to close her door and put a baby gate in it as well or I would find her on the dining room table in the morning.
I eventually taught her to come get me as soon as she woke up and as annoying as that was it kept her safe.
We had that problem with my niece. So we bought a French that she could see us and then put a chain on the outside. That way she was safe in her room and wouldn’t be able to get out of the house and go to the street or beach
I just use a gate. No need to lock your kid in their room.
There is a baby proofing knob cover that works amazing! My oldest is the same way. We’d wake up to find peanut butter or oil everywhere. Once we put those on her door, we didn’t have the problem anymore. And it’s easy for adults to open. (You don’t have to put it on the outside, we only put it on the inside door handle.)
Just here to tell you there is a 99 percent chance of the state taking your baby if they ever see that I know you mean well but def not he is a child not a dog. If I was a child locked in I would go into a panic for sure! Get an alarm a dinger that goes off when the door opens baby cameras do whatever you have to do to be able to wake up.
Get a baby monitor baby gate and door alarm.
Find the root cause and tk him to the doctor. Get him tired during the day and show him love . pray over his room and ur house .
I would suggest a baby gate, a monitor that alerts you for movement, ect but please please please don’t lock him in his room. Hes a child, not an animal or a prisoner
Amy Fielder if hes climbing counters im pretty sure he can climb a gate
Candace Shingleton Macias even just let him sleep on floor if he wants to be in your room ,he may be scared in room by himself
Theres an alarm you can buy to put on kiddos doors it alarms super loud so at least you’ll know hes up
Definitely use a child gate He is too young to just let him wander I couldn’t sleep if I knew it wasn’t safe
Get a baby gate taller than your hip. When my son was younger he got creative and climbed over the gate by stacking his toys.
Hey even try to give him kids melatonin that may help keep him asleep.
Place something that makes noise if he walks through it
is this an American page??
Reason I’m saying this. Our station ran into a situation like this. We had to go in through the fire and bust the door down to get the kid who was scared to see me cause I sounded like Darth Vader. Took me a minute to get her to come to me and get her out of house with my crew as well.
Put a reverse lock and have a wifi camera to still be able to properly supervise him. At this point it is a safety issue for him to be able to get out without your knowledge. A baby gate is recommended but it will do no good if the child can already climb it.
Double baby gate the door.
Baby gate and baby monitor
You can get high ones
Turn the door knob on his room, so it locks from outside of room. Can reverse when he learns not to leave his room at night.
Also maybe a bell or something like that on gate so you can know when he tries to knock it down
Get a camera installed to see if hes sleep walking i slept walked so badly till 11. Also PLEASE DONT LOCK HIM IN HIS ROOM one its cruel and two its a fire hazard! Also use a baby gate so he can’t go downstairs, the basement and garage OR get a lock for the basement door and a lock for the fridge at night if hes going in there just please dont lock him in his room
I would just switch the door knob so it locks from the outside and turn the baby monitor up all the way at night. This happened with the girl I used to nanny for and that’s what her parents had to do, once she realized she couldn’t get out she stopped getting out of bed altogether.
$5. This is what I had to get. I put it on alarm on the bedroom door and put another one on chime for the bathroom door. Easy and safe!!!
That could be very harmful in the event of a fire. You could close his door and by a cheap door chime or door alarm. You could purchase a high child gate as well. I think you’re doing great child proofing the house. My son use to sleep walk and sleep eat (yes it’s a real condition).
Have u tried a baby gate cause i think depending on where u are its it’s illegal to lock a kid in their room
I would never put a lock on the door there could be a fire or anything happen!!! I would do a baby gate and make sure there is no little chairs or anything he can climb on to climb over the gate… Also i would get a monitor so you know when hes awake!!
Baby gate?? A ljttle alarm system on HIS door. Might freak him out when it goes off but u will know he is up. He may also be sleep walking…something to look into maybe.
Keri Faith Hale my suggestion also,there is also another pill only like a 1mg also helps them to sleep all night and have a real good day the next day can’t remember the name but my little nephew had it
Sounds like sleep walking to me
I used a child handle on the inside of his room so he couldn’t open it
I put a door knob cover on the inside of my kids rooms and taped it so only the whole to turn is showing and my kids can’t get out
i had to put 2 baby gates on top of each other and after that i had to reverse the bedroom door lock to lock my daughter in but i can unlock the door . i didnt know what else to do because also losing sleep before did this i also have steps to worry about
Before using alarms make sure he is not sleepwalking. My son did. He eventually grew out of it.
Yes j agree Nicole Carneiro DON’T LOCK HIS BEDROOM DOOR DEFINITE FIRE HAZARD baby gates safer option