Sleep Mode

So if you have been reading the other posts from today you might be wondering about Sleep Mode (AKA lock mode). It all started when Emma figured out how to open doors by herself (even with child proof locks on them), broke an outside hook lock, was waking up multiple times at night, was not falling asleep in her room or anywhere for many hours at bedtime, was waking us up at all hours of the night and was not going back to sleep after repeated trips back to her bed.

We tried it all to encourage good sleep habits and discourage unwanted sleep habits. Candy, stickers, colorful charts, colorful sleep rules, locking other doors in the hallway, taking toys and privileges away, emptying her dresser, talking about her health, sitting at the top of the stairs and putting her back in bed or in her room. Nothing, yep, nothing worked. So we (actually Steve) turned her door knob inside out. The locking mechanism is now on the outside, effectively locking Emma in her room. We are calling it sleep mode, mostly to make ourselves feel better and to avoid any CPS calls. :) Of course, sleep mode does not help Emma sleep in her bed. No, that would be too easy. She still sleeps on the floor behind her door. (We need Grandma here for this, too. In CA after two nights on the floor, Grandma had Emma sleeping in the window seat bed for the rest of the visit.) But the good news is that Emma now falls asleep much more quickly and last night she stayed asleep until right before wake up time this morning when she had to go potty. (That's the other great bit of news. Although she wears a Pull-up for nighttime sleeping, they are dry in the mornings! Amazing!) Wish us all many nights of good sleep and good sleep habits so that sleep mode will someday soon not really mean lock mode.

PS Yesterday at nap I explained to Emma that the door was going to be in sleep mode when I left so that she would be able to help herself make better sleep choices by having to stay in her room. I told her that sleep mode meant the door would not be able to be opened by her. She thought about that for half a second and then said: Mommy, will the door be locked? She is just too darn smart for her (our) own good. :)