[barracuda]

This is nuts coming from a Mother of 5, but this kid is seriously the busiest child EVER! Believe me I have loads of experience with kids just being kids, but he takes the cake. He gets into EVERYTHING. he has been this way since he was an infant. Didn't use a walker, becasue he figured out how to get out of it within in days of us bringing it out, Baby gates Hahahahaha by 9 months old he was sticking his little toes in them climbing up and throwing himself over them. Bought one that was solid sheet and screwed into the wall well I now have holes in my wall, No joke the strength of this kid is amazing. no high chair , crib, or pretty much anything can contain him. He can unlock every door and baby latch in this house, he has figured them all out. He literally scales the front of my refrigerator some days. he was one of only 2 in my house to have stitches, and no joke when they put him in the mini straight jacket to do them (on his chin) he somehow wiggled one arm free while the doc was stitching, it took 2 nurses and my DH to hold him so he could finish. when people come into my house they laugh becasue every chair in the house is on it's respective table becasue he will climb onto them, he will move them and very quickly to get to whatever it is he wants. Well for a while he learned how to climb out of the crib about a yr ago, he got hurt not bad but a little so he quit doing that. we got a little peace when he slept naps and at night... Till about last week, he has now figured out how to get out without falling. We put our foot down and insisted naps were not going to be done away with and bed time was non-negotiable as we need a little quiet. It took a few days but he got it. Well Thank God I am a very light sleeper, last night he went to bed no problems. At about 4 am, I hear what sounds like him climbing out of the crib I wait a minute to see if the door opens, no door wait about 10 minutes and doze back off. About 5 or so minutes later I hear the back kitchen door. I run to the kitchen, and yep it's him unlocking and opening the door. I scold him, and put him in bed with me. All of our kids slept with us so no biggie, but I am much older now and value my sleep so much more, I am exhausted today becasue I really did not sleep all night for fear I would fall asleep and he would get back up, and he did, DS 17 gets up at school at about 5:30 and I must have really dozed off becasue he brings me the 2 yr. old and says mom he tried to get in the shower with me take your child. So I get up for the day and start my coffee. Anyways I am at a loss... NONE of my other children were like this. I can't put locks on the doors that he can't reach what if there is a fire, I just don't know what to do now. I am never gonna sleep again worrying myself sick over this.

[missdanalu]

I understand the fire concern but I would still install high latches that he can't reach so he can't get outside. That could end very badly. They also have alarms you can place on doors that sound when open. I would get one or both.

You could also install a high latch in your bedroom. This way if you don't hear him wake up at least he can't leave the room and wander.

Good luck, my nephew was like that and my sister had to do these things to keep him contained.

[marnimae]

I know this is weird, but I used to work with the elderly with dementia or alzheimers, there are door alarms (amazon has them, they are pretty inexpensive) and there are bed pad alarms also you can purchase. These might help, though they can be loud at times you will know for sure he is out of bed and roaming around.

[ladygodiva02]

My son who is 3 and a half now used to escapr his room a lot at night. What we do is lean a baby gate against the door so if he opens it the gate crashes to the floor and makes a huge noise. He hasnt done it in months. Now he isnt potty trained yet because he is speech delayed so I havent had to worry about him being able to use the potty. Another thing I did was make sure he has some of his favorite quiet things in his room. So if he does get up he has something to do that will keep him in his room. My sister in law has used the door alarms when one of her girls was sleep eating and making herself sick.

Good luck

[sar1]

This is what the other posters are talking about. There are other kinds, just wanted to give you a visual. They're not expensive.

[barracuda]

Thanks everyone, I am looking on Amazon tonight for the alarms. I think we will put one on the bedroom door and the doors to outside. We have tossed the idea of latches up high around since he was about a yr. old. Whew he is exhausting. I appreciate all the suggestions. I actually thought of setting up Soda cans in a pyramid Same principle as the baby gate making noise. Might still do that till the Fedex Guy delivers the alarms.

[sar1]

Originally Posted by sar1

This is what the other posters are talking about. There are other kinds, just wanted to give you a visual. They're not expensive.

Oy, I'm a dingbat. I meant to include a link to a set on amazon in that last post but forgot. Now I'm on the app and can't do it as easily. Guess you found it though!

[Goddessoflubbock]

The alarms are a lifesaver! My son with autism was a runner, I put one on every exit door.

He was also an escape artist, you could never let him out of sight. No barrier was impenetrable. The only good news I can say is by 5 years old he'd outgrown all that and was pretty calm. Still very strong, and always big for his age, but not escaping anymore.

[barracuda]

Originally Posted by sar1

Oy, I'm a dingbat. I meant to include a link to a set on amazon in that last post but forgot. Now I'm on the app and can't do it as easily. Guess you found it though!

I did and thank-you

[barracuda]

Originally Posted by Goddessoflubbock

The alarms are a lifesaver! My son with autism was a runner, I put one on every exit door.

He was also an escape artist, you could never let him out of sight. No barrier was impenetrable. The only good news I can say is by 5 years old he'd outgrown all that and was pretty calm. Still very strong, and always big for his age, but not escaping anymore.

Oh I can only hope he outgrows it I told DH last night you know he is our child that no matter what he has to try it for himself, see how it works, and tear it apart to understand it. I have a feeling when he gets a little older we will come home to a TV being in pieces, or a toaster or just about anything. he doesn't really play with toys, which is not odd some kids are just like that. But he always wants what he cannot play with like power tools and he knows where they are and tries like no other to get to them.

[crs]

If you are a light sleeper those strings of Christmas Bells make a nice sound. (The alarms would scare me half to death at night.)

[Goddessoflubbock]

Originally Posted by barracuda

Oh I can only hope he outgrows it I told DH last night you know he is our child that no matter what he has to try it for himself, see how it works, and tear it apart to understand it. I have a feeling when he gets a little older we will come home to a TV being in pieces, or a toaster or just about anything. he doesn't really play with toys, which is not odd some kids are just like that. But he always wants what he cannot play with like power tools and he knows where they are and tries like no other to get to them.

Both my boys were like that. The oldest was quiet tho and ended up in engineering.

My younger one, the escape artist, is now almost 19. At about 9 or 10 he discovered computers. He used his first one to learn on, it rarely worked but he was forever working on it. Now he's in college, getting a degree in game design . It eventually all works out and you get to sleep again!

[barracuda]

Originally Posted by Goddessoflubbock

Both my boys were like that. The oldest was quiet tho and ended up in engineering.

My younger one, the escape artist, is now almost 19. At about 9 or 10 he discovered computers. He used his first one to learn on, it rarely worked but he was forever working on it. Now he's in college, getting a degree in game design . It eventually all works out and you get to sleep again!

I actually Bought the door alarms at wal-mart tonight a 4 pack for $19.97, didn't want to wait for fedex... soooo worth my peace of mind. Today he dumped an industrial sized container of Cinnamon everywhere, I just bought it last night. I swear I was standing in the same room, I said what do you have and no sooner does it come out of my mouth and POOF everywhere. At least it smells good.

[sar1]

Originally Posted by barracuda

Today he dumped an industrial sized container of Cinnamon everywhere, I just bought it last night. I swear I was standing in the same room, I said what do you have and no sooner does it come out of my mouth and POOF everywhere. At least it smells good.

Oh my goodness, I apologize for laughing at your situation. You really have your hands full, don't you?

[1littlemiracle]

Oh boy. I have that 2 year old (only he's almost 12 now!) Definitely get the door alarms. I bought my first one at Walgreens, that we put at the top of the door so he couldn't turn it off. Thankfully, he knows better than to leave the house now, but, well, I'm awake to respond to this at 3:15 a.m. and won't sleep until he does.
I certainly empathize with you. Oh, the stories I could share with almost 12 years of this. Rest when you can, and insist on a structured bedtime. DS might stay awake, but he has at least accepted the fact that he is to remain in bed, lights off, (everything off) after a 30 minute "sound machine" session when he's decided he's" bored" enough.
At the moment, I'm listening to mountain streams and I think he's just about out......
Oh, and wake up time is consistent 7 days a week. That helps too. Today, he was just wired for sound!
Hang in there.

[adventure1]

Originally Posted by barracuda

I actually Bought the door alarms at wal-mart tonight a 4 pack for $19.97, didn't want to wait for fedex... soooo worth my peace of mind. Today he dumped an industrial sized container of Cinnamon everywhere, I just bought it last night. I swear I was standing in the same room, I said what do you have and no sooner does it come out of my mouth and POOF everywhere. At least it smells good.

Sounds like you have a bright kid whose very curious. You may find he will be bored to death during school in a couple of years - that was our experience anyway. Our son was into everything and had so much energy. It was exhausting. We keep him busy now with extra-curricular activities like Chess, Lego Robotics, Soccer, Running club and letting him play with the neighbor kids to wear him down. Oh, we also limit the sugar intake.

[barracuda]

Originally Posted by sar1

Oh my goodness, I apologize for laughing at your situation. You really have your hands full, don't you?

It's ok you can laugh, We laugh all the time, hiding our faces of course....

Originally Posted by 1littlemiracle

Oh boy. I have that 2 year old (only he's almost 12 now!) Definitely get the door alarms. I bought my first one at Walgreens, that we put at the top of the door so he couldn't turn it off. Thankfully, he knows better than to leave the house now, but, well, I'm awake to respond to this at 3:15 a.m. and won't sleep until he does.
I certainly empathize with you. Oh, the stories I could share with almost 12 years of this. Rest when you can, and insist on a structured bedtime. DS might stay awake, but he has at least accepted the fact that he is to remain in bed, lights off, (everything off) after a 30 minute "sound machine" session when he's decided he's" bored" enough.
At the moment, I'm listening to mountain streams and I think he's just about out......
Oh, and wake up time is consistent 7 days a week. That helps too. Today, he was just wired for sound!
Hang in there.

LOL I had dreams last night of him dragging a stool over to the door and shutting them off. Sure enough I woke up and he was in the kitchen (door still intact) but my drawer with all the cake decorating stuff was everywhere....I can't say I blame him though it was time to get up for the day. I just bent down and told him, If you get up before Mama you have to wake me up, he rubbed my cheek and said OK mama, We will see. Except for the few days last week he has been really good about going to bed, He goes non-stop and when it is bedtime he truly stops. Sometimes right where he is standing he will start to doze off. Thank goodness.

Originally Posted by adventure1

Sounds like you have a bright kid whose very curious. You may find he will be bored to death during school in a couple of years - that was our experience anyway. Our son was into everything and had so much energy. It was exhausting. We keep him busy now with extra-curricular activities like Chess, Lego Robotics, Soccer, Running club and letting him play with the neighbor kids to wear him down. Oh, we also limit the sugar intake.

I am actually trying out the sugar thing, and cutting out some of the dyes in food. Not just for him, but I have a 9 yr. old who can't sit still. With him though I think it is just being a 9 yr. old. It is nothing like the 2 yr. old. I also think having so many older siblings and being the baby, he thinks he is just as big as they are. The other day I found him in the living room trying to take the battery compartment off the back of a Car he has. He was literally sticking his fingernail in the screw and twisting. Of course it didn't work, but I was amazed he was trying.

[1littlemiracle]

Oh yes, these kiddos are very smart. They have all kinds of time to figure out how things work and how to dismantle things. We do a lot of "experiments", as he calls them. I'd much rather we do them together, and not find pieces scattered all over the house.