Shortly after moving into our new home in November, we realized we had a small problem. All the interior doors of this house use the lever style handle…something that is nice and easily managed by wee toddler hands.
We transitioned Lilly to her big girl bed with the move. It was a risky strategy that could have gone either way, but for the most part, we have lucked out.
Until now.
Well we have since come to realize that the toddler freedom of a big girl bed and accessible door handles are a tricky combination.
She started out innocently enough, just coming out of her room during nap times, which she may be growing out of anyways. She’d venture into her playroom or come into the living room claiming she can’t sleep.
Now she has graduated to the night time wandering toddler. She came into our room a few times, climbed up into bed to snuggle at 4am. But I quickly explained that when it was still dark, she had to stay in her own room.
That talk backfired.
Toddlers are sneaky little creatures that can formulate an alternative course of action faster than we can scold them for it. She realized that she could leave her bedroom at night and not get caught, so long as she avoided our room.
In other words, she has learned the fine art of sneaking out at two and a half years old! When she’s 15, we’re done for.
Since this trend began, I have found her passed out in various places around the house. The couch, having fallen asleep when she couldn’t figure out the TV remote. The floor of her bedroom, but with toys that were not in there when I put her to bed. Outside our bedroom door, cuddling with the dog. Or this morning, perfectly nestled between the doors of her bedroom and her playroom.
Last nights adventure must have been a good one. She had her aquadoodle pad from the playroom, which was found in the middle of the hall, and had gone to the kitchen to retrieve the tea towel as a blanket for either her or the babies. We found other signs too, including the stool from her bedroom in front of the sink. Now all I have to do is teach her to do dishes at 5am and I’ll be set.
Ideally speaking I would be able to reason with this night time terror and get her to understand that staying in her room until the sun comes up means just that. But I’m not holding my breath. In the meantime, I may have to reinstate the baby gate to stop her from leaving the bedroom side of the house…
Note to parents who have survived the toddler stage – all tips for getting our little darling over this wandering stage are welcomed 
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