To make a long story short, my daughter started off sleeping in her bed always until she got old enough to give me a hard time. Now she sleeps in our bed, she is 2 1/2 and I was wondering how you guys got your children to sleep in their own beds, how hard it was, and how long it took? Thank you so much for your answers!
Well get this! Last night we are all laying in bed to go to sleep and she pops up asking me to get the air mattress out so we can sleep on her floor. I tell her there are too many toys on her floor for me to fool with and that if she wants to sleep in her room she will have to sleep in her bed by herself. She was really scared at first, I had to take a wind chime down because it was casting a shadow on the wall from her night light. I had to rock her to sleep and then sit there with her for a few minutes because she woke up when I laid her down, but she slept until almost 6:00 am by herself. Funny, huh? I'll let you know how tonight goes.
Well, no more good nights. I have moved her bed in to our room and she still won't sleep in it. She says there are monsters in her bedroom and her bed. I don't know what to do. Maybe I will just get a t.v. and put in there for her to fall asleep to, but I sure do hate that idea! We have a cat but she doesn't want him to sleep with her to keep her company and I've tried leaving the light on in her room and the door open between our rooms but nothing is working. And at 11:00 at night I give in too quickly. Thanks for all your advice and I will keep reading and trying all of it!
have you tryed reading a story to her in her bed? When my children were young and got up in the middle of the night, i would bring themback to their room and put them back in thier own bed. it may take a couple of weeks. the key is to be presistant
I am NO help in this area but am waiting for responses.
My 2 yr old is now a permanent fixture in my bed. It started out inocently enough. We have a 5 bedroom house and his bedroom is on the "main" thermostat. To keep his room warm means that the kitchen and living room and den are warm as well - can't stand it. The older two have their own wing -so easy. I kept getting up in the middle of the night with him because he was cold and obviously put him in bed with me to warm him up. He stayed. Soon, I was just putting him to bed in my bed and he hasn't left. Now that he is over 2 I am wanting to move him out of my bed. I have converted the den/sunroom off of my master suite into a nursery (for 2 yr old - lol) or "little persons bedroom" in hopes that he will want to go to his "new room" in a "big boy bed" - NOPE he wants Mama's bed.
Of course, now out of a crib, I can't restrain him to a bed. So, it is sheer will and confrontation. He sleeps tonight in my bed. I see no end in sight.
Waiting to hear good responses!
B
We are working towards the same goal...what is helping me so far are two things...my recently turned three year old just started sleeping in his own bed...now on to what is helping....he is crazy about Cars-the movie (Lighnting McQueen)...so I purchased Lightning McQueen linens, pillows, night lights, wall appliques, and etc...bed, toy chest...you name it we have it we probably have it...he believes Lightning will be alone so he will sleep "with him" to keep him company...the major thing is that he shares the room with his 10 year old cousin who loves to have his company...The 10 year old sleeps in the top bunk and my three year old either sleeps in his bed on the bottom bunk which also has Lightning McQueen linens (only). Sometimes I lay with him long enough to go to sleep and then tuck him in..I also sometimes keep some music playing or the TV on (volume really low) and the light from the TV helps...I hope that this will help you some...you can pull your own ideas from this...something that can work for you
I would try putting a toddler bed in your room.If that isn't a option then ,give her something to remind her of you to comfort her.Something soft.Play music in her room.A nightlight.A pet isn't a bad idea.I would suggest a easy pet.Hermit crab,fish ect.. not something like a hampster(they can stay up all night and keep her awake).I know our son would wear dads big t-shirts to sleep in to remind him of him.He felt like part of him was there.Put a picture of you in her room.I remember when my daughter was in preschool ,she had a picture of me in her cubby.She is needing something to comfort her.You just have to figure out something to replace you being w/ her at night.
blessings,
M.
You and your husband will have to force the issue with her to go back to her own bed. Every time she climbs into your bed you will have to get up and put her back into her own bed. This will take a few days for her to get the idea. She will scream and carry on but you will have to persist.
Get a routine started for her on going to bed. Read her ONE story when putting her to bed. My granddaughter enjoyed listening to those soft sound CD's. Give her 1 stuff animal to enjoy in bed with her.
Off and on during the toddler years by boys would make a habit of getting up in the middle of the night to sleep in our bed. We consistently got up and put them back in their own bed. At this age I really think kids are trying to see what they get away with and take some control. Remember you are the parent and you need to keep your authority. Children should sleep in their own beds. At 7 my son went through a stage where he was really afraid at night which coincided with Halloween time. We let him fall asleep with a light on and his closet door open. He eventually got over it. Good luck! It is so hard to be a parent and know what to do...at times it is just trial and error.
When my daughter would give me a hard time I would just lay down next to her until she fell asleep in her bed, well actually next to it since she was in a toddler bed. And when she would wake up in the middle of the night I would just take her back in there and do it all over again. With my daughter it didn't last ver long and she would just sleep in her own room.
Start by putting a toddler bed in your room just to get her used to sleeping in it by herself and once that happens then you can move her to her room. I co-slept with both of my girls and they would rather be with me to this day (6 and 9) but know that if I say it's okay they can but otherwise they are on their own.
When I was pregnant I decided to make a big deal out of a big boy room for my 3 year old son whom always seemed to sleep with us after Katrina.
I painted the room with a huge ocean mural, new bedding, painted the furniture and just went all out on the cheap for him. He was so excited!!!! Now it took at least three weeks to get him to sleep there all night. We just kept putting him back in his big boy bed and kissing him. We ended up purchasing a dvd player and that kept him occupied till he fell asleep. Right now he still sleeps with the light on but he is not in our bed.
Hi S.,
My oldest daughter decided she needed to sleep in our bed after she was given her own "big girl" bed at 2 years old.
It took 3 weeks of repeated trips back to her bed before she finally stopped coming to our bedroom to crawl in with her Dad and me. Each time I would walk her back to her bed, I would explain to her that she now had a bed of her own like ours and that is where she was to stay, unless she had to get up to potty. There were a few tears but after three weeks of consistently making her get back in her bed, she stopped trying.
I also told her that when the sun was shining outside and she woke up, THEN she could come get in bed with us and we made that a little "play" time with her - snuggling, tickling, laughing and telling stories.
P.
i was just havin this problem and my son is 6 SAD HUH... this is what we did... i bought my son a dog and now he has someone to keep him company in bed and i told my son the dog needed someone to keep him warm at night so he has to snuggle the dog... has been working for 6 months now and i have never made a better investment in my life
My son is 5 and we are still struggling with this. We can get him to sleep in the living room but not his room. I would try finding out what the problem is on why she won't sleep in her own room. Is there a night light? Does she claim to see things? My son says there is a Big Purple thing after him..LOL.
We went through the same thing with our son! I found that it was important for us to stay consistent with putting him back in his own bed each time he came to ours. If you give in only once, they know they have you!
