Stripping

[Beautiful Fireball]

I'm a nanny as some of you know, and one of the little boys (now 23 months old) ALWAYS strips when he gets in bed. This has been going on for a good 4-5 months and to me it seems that he should be over this by now, especially so close to being two. We (parents and I) have tried everything to get him to keep his clothes on because he will strip then pee or poo in his crib and stripping his bed a couple of times a day gets old fast. His mom even put him in snap pajamas backwards so he couldn't unsnap them and he figured those out after two nights.

Anyone else have any suggestions? I'm beginning to think its not a nakedness or comfort thing because he doesn't do it when he is out of bed. I think its because he's bored. He's a VERY active kid and is always playing with something and it seems that he has to have his hands busy. Of course this theory could be completely wrong, but oh well.

Anyway, any ideas? He has a twin brother who doesn't do this at all.

 

[MikeK]

My oldest two both do this. For some reason, just putting them to bed in a diaper covered with either underwear or a pullup seems to prevent the shedding most nights. If they want to sleep naked, we'll let them sleep naked but we really try to keep them in diapers. We'll usually check on them about an hour after they fall asleep to make sure they still have them on.

 

[Beautiful Fireball]

My oldest two both do this. For some reason, just putting them to bed in a diaper covered with either underwear or a pullup seems to prevent the shedding most nights. If they want to sleep naked, we'll let them sleep naked but we really try to keep them in diapers. We'll usually check on them about an hour after they fall asleep to make sure they still have them on.

They tried the pull up over the diaper and when I went in to check on him yesterday he had both legs through one leg hole and it up around his waist and the diaper off. When he doesn't have the diaper he will pee or poo in his bed, and if he poos he walks in it and gets it everywhere.

 

[MikeK]

When he doesn't have the diaper he will pee or poo in his bed, and if he poos he walks in it and gets it everywhere.

Yuck. Yeah, I've seen that. No fun. Good luck to you. We have found that checking on them after they've been down for a while helps - usually if mine take their diapers off it's not long after they've fallen asleep. It was also a fairly brief phase for both of them, thankfully.

 

[Leanna]

Well you would know him, and if you think he is bored then maybe the problem is that he is being given too much time to sleep and he doesn't need that much time. I would adjust the naptime and bedtime schedule, and then when I did lay him down I would keep the door cracked and watch him and stop him every time he tried to take off his clothes. Another idea is to give him some quiet time toys to wind down with so he has something to do before he falls asleep (like board books).

 

[Birbitt]

I have a few suggestions first if it's a bordom thing then maybe a music player, or projector type toy in the crib to keep him busy and lull him to sleep. Also try letting him choose what to wear to bed maybe that will make him more likely to keep it on. And my last suggestion is to try cloth diapers instead of disposables while he sleeps...some children just don't like the feel of a diaper.

 

[MyaShane]

Or he just likes to be naked. That's my 3yo. When we get home from going anywhere, as soon as we walk in the back door, she begins stripping immediately. I don't even bother to try and keep her dressed because it's just a waste of clean clothes! Her preference would be to sleep naked, too, but she's still working on mastering potty training and wears a diaper to bed. There are even mornings where she's woken in the night and stripped to her diaper. There have only been a few times that she's shucked her diaper as well, but usually once she's asleep it's fine. We just have to keep checking on her until then.
Good luck!

 

[HeyHomie]

While it's regrettable that he still has accidents in bed, I see no reason to discourage him from sleeping naked. I've slept that way for years.

 

[Beautiful Fireball]

I would let the kid be naked but since I'm not his parent I don't have that authority. And even checking on him all the time wouldn't prevent him from taking off the diaper. We put masking tape on the tabs today to see if that made it impossible for him to get it off and the tape was off in about 2 minutes

 

[Leanna]

well it seems clear to me at least that the answer is not in defeating the houdini's houdini-ness..... time to try other strategies....

 

[Beautiful Fireball]

well it seems clear to me at least that the answer is not in defeating the houdini's houdini-ness..... time to try other strategies....

Lol what are they? We tried giving him a toy today that had velcro and snaps and all the other stuff he seems to like and it lasted about 5 minutes. There have even been times that he has been half asleep when we have put him to bed and as soon as we put him down he perks up and gets excited. So tonight I think they put him in footie pajamas with the feet cut off and backwards, a pull up over the diaper, and tape around the tabs on the diaper. Obviously the kid is too smart for any of us but no one likes having to strip the bed multiple times a day.

 

[Leanna]

Lol what are they? We tried giving him a toy today that had velcro and snaps and all the other stuff he seems to like and it lasted about 5 minutes. There have even been times that he has been half asleep when we have put him to bed and as soon as we put him down he perks up and gets excited. So tonight I think they put him in footie pajamas with the feet cut off and backwards, a pull up over the diaper, and tape around the tabs on the diaper. Obviously the kid is too smart for any of us but no one likes having to strip the bed multiple times a day.

Set up a chair just outside the room, leave the door cracked and come in and tell him to keep his clothes on every time he tried to take them off, and then go back out and sit on the chair with a book, until he fell asleep.

Moving position can wake a person up so maybe he's waking up and then thinking how comfortable it would be to be naked.

Are you sure he is tired and needs all this sleep?

 

[JulySheMustFly]

Is he still in his crib?
Does he have things he can do while in his bed if he wakes up?
Is there anyway to know when the kid wakes and beat him to the strip?
Is he taking his clothes off because he doesn't like how the diaper feels wet or pooey?

 

[Beautiful Fireball]

Set up a chair just outside the room, leave the door cracked and come in and tell him to keep his clothes on every time he tried to take them off, and then go back out and sit on the chair with a book, until he fell asleep.

Moving position can wake a person up so maybe he's waking up and then thinking how comfortable it would be to be naked.

Are you sure he is tired and needs all this sleep?

I think that he does but I could be wrong. But if he gets a two hour nap he is MUCH happier and listens alot better. If he doesn't he is very clingy and whiney (I know thats a negative way to say it but its the best I can think of right now). The kids are on a set schedule and he knows that after lunch time, he gets a bottle and a nap, he usually asks for it. Maybe he doesn't need the sleep, but his mood and behaviour are much different if he doesn't get it.

 

[Beautiful Fireball]

Is he still in his crib?
Does he have things he can do while in his bed if he wakes up?
Is there anyway to know when the kid wakes and beat him to the strip?
Is he taking his clothes off because he doesn't like how the diaper feels wet or pooey?

Yes
He has stuffed animals and now a book in there
I usually peek in every five minutes or so but he does it SO quickly, that its hard. Maybe it would be good to just sit outside the door.
It is possible, but there are times that he has taken it off and then peed or pooed. I always give them a new diaper before nap time so they aren't sleeping in that.

 

[Leanna]

Maybe you should try to potty train, that way he will be aware of the urge and not go in the bed (much).

What you are describing could be a need for sleep or a need for downtime.... David and I both need downtime. If we go go go all day then we are both crabby. He hasn't taken a nap in a long time now, but we do take a break and have quiet play time or quiet reading time or a video. Your little guy could very well need sleep, it just occurred to ask because he seems to have all this energy to strip down naked.... I haven't had a stripper before, when Maya go into bed, she looks like "ahhh, so glad to be here" and grabs her blankie

 

[Beautiful Fireball]

Maybe you should try to potty train, that way he will be aware of the urge and not go in the bed (much).

What you are describing could be a need for sleep or a need for downtime.... David and I both need downtime. If we go go go all day then we are both crabby. He hasn't taken a nap in a long time now, but we do take a break and have quiet play time or quiet reading time or a video. Your little guy could very well need sleep, it just occurred to ask because he seems to have all this energy to strip down naked.... I haven't had a stripper before, when Maya go into bed, she looks like "ahhh, so glad to be here" and grabs her blankie

You can potty train at 23 months?

I should also mention that both boys were born 3 months premature. They seem to be right on track with most things but not with everything, I don't know if that would make a difference.

 

[RedTulipMom]

You can potty train at 23 months?

I should also mention that both boys were born 3 months premature. They seem to be right on track with most things but not with everything, I don't know if that would make a difference.

yes, some kids are ready at that age or even before, the only way to know if he is ready is to try it.

 

[Birbitt]

A child can potty train as soon as the child shows some interest...generally if the child can say pee pee or poo poo (or whatever your words are for that) and the child can tell when he or she is wet or dirty and convey this message to the adult caring for him or her....it's time to potty train...Start simple with a little potty and just sit him on it with his clothes on....letting him get used to it....once he's used to it then move on to taking off the diaper and letting him sit there and try to pee or poop...What ever times you notice he is most often going in his diaper are the best times to put him on the potty....If he is ready then it will most likely be both a simple and enjoyable experience for both of you.

 

[Mayzoo]

1. Yes, he could be ready to try potty training, but since he does not strip during the day.....maybe not.

2. Does he seem to have sensory issues? He may either dislike what his pjs are made of, or he may not be able to sleep either wet or dirty, so his solution is to remove the diaper so he won't feel wet. If you aren't sure what this means ask, I will tell you. My sweetie has sensory issues.

3. If there is no "reason" why he wants to be unclothed other than he just wants too, then one way you can keep his clothes on is to try putting a belt his size on through belt loops either sewn onto to his pjs or put him to bed in comfy pants that have belt loops, then put the belt on them.....with the buckle on in the back works best/longest.

I have heard some parents duct tape diapers on around the kiddo (not to the skin!!) just around the actual diaper......but I do NOT agree with this since it could be dangerous.....as with any type of tape, they may try to swallow it and choke.