Supernanny! I need you!

The last few days have been a challenge that likes of which, if videotaped, would easily land us on Supernanny or Nanny 911 or some other parental-helping show that until recently seemed only about crazy parents who don't know what the hell they're doing. And then my little girl turned some kind of developmental page and began showing signs of what she'll be like at 15 (a clever little bugger), and I thought... holy cow I'M ONE OF THOSE PARENTS!

Maren has now transferred to the big kid bed. A month or so ago, she began asking for it (again) - and one weekend we decided to give it (another) go. And wow! It went so smoothly! She went straight to bed! She didn't even want to stay up late reading, and, unlike the 1st time we tried this whole 'big kid' bed thing, she wasn't getting up out of her bed to try and find herself a snack or anything.

And then something happened - not sure what. But a few days ago she started really hating going to bed. Crying, asking for another snack, more water, different water, water in a different cup, another snack, one more book, a longer book, a book that's a different size, put the water cup up on the shelf, no not that shelf, the other shelf, sing a song, a different song.... you get the picture? So, at almost 11pm one night (after lots of crying on her part and ignoring on our part) I realized that the only way she was going to get any sleep that night (and the only way we were going to get any sleep that night) was for her to sleep in our bed. This is something Andy and I have been adament about from the beginning - mom and dad's bed is mom and dad's bed... but I remember fondly feeling so safe and secure in my parents bed when I had a bad dream or couldn't sleep. And I also remember my parents talking about how there were lots of nights where they both ended up sleeping in our beds cause all four of us were in theirs... and I gave up and gave in, and she slept in our bed. (By the way, the only person who slept much that night was Maren.)

And once Maren slept in our bed, well, I think that's where the wheels came off the wagon. Cause of course how cool is it to sleep in mom and dad's bed?! So cool! Although we made it clear she wasn't going to sleep in our bed, well, the next night the game was about getting up out of her bed and coming out over and over and over again. And the next night, same game. We're now operating under a bribe for a special book that is sitting on our mantel: she can have it if she listens to mom and dad and stays in bed... it has been a complete failure.

The next night I ended up holding the door shut for 45 minutes while Maren said, "Hey Mom! Are you out there?! Why won't you let me out?! I don' wanna go to bed! Please, mommma! Please! Hey Mom, I can't get up on my bed! I can't! See? (I hear her pitter-patter-pitter-patter and *jump* *grunt*. - demonstrating how she can't get into her bed.) See? You have to open the door and help me get into bed!"

See what I mean by clever?!

She also spent several minutes shoving random things under the door, and trying to tickle and grab my feet from under the door while I was holding the door shut. I actually spent most of the time with my hands over my mouth, trying to keep from laughing out loud. She is funny, and DETERMINED.

Not sure if you've ever had to deal with the getting up out of bed a bunch dealio, but they deal with it all the time on Supernanny, and tonight I totally did it by the Supernanny book. It's kind of hard-core, and I NEVER thought I'd have to do it (cause you know, I thought that show was about crazy people and their kids). But I did it, and so far... it's been 33 minutes since the last time Maren came out of her room..and I am officially feeling triumphant.

Tonight, Maren got up out of her bed and walked out of her room 12 times--TWELVE times before she finally gave up. I had to put the game face on and just pick her up, put her back in bed, kiss her on the forehead, without saying a word. (After about #7, I stopped kissing her on the forehead.)

It worked... so far, anyway.

Supernanny would be so proud!