Hi there--I'm a writer working on a story about how hard it can be for parents to persuade even older children--say older than five--to sleep in their own beds. Is anyone out there struggling with this? I'm interested in parents whose children sleep in the parents' beds almost every night, or just start out there, or end up there--it needn't be every night, just more often than the parents would ideally want. Would you please reach out to me if you're willing to talk?
Our 4 y/o still sleeps with us; although he has his own bed. We actually don't care--we like it. We're older parents (44 n 52), he's our "only," and we like to cuddle. Sometimes, for alone time, we'll put him in his bed, but at about 1am he is back with us . . .
It all started so innocently. When my son was a baby he was a crier/colicky, and my hubs and I were sleep deprived so he slept with us. Then when he was 1 we had to move in with my mom for a while. He had his own bedroom but would not sleep in crib, screamed cried forever, again into our bed. He was about 17 months whne my G-pa moved in as well and my son's bedroom went to him and he with us. He had a toddler bed next to ours but usually migrated over to us during the night. We moved to our own place when he was 3 his own bedroom , we'd put him down in his, or let him fall asleep in ours and take him to his later but he would end up in ours. Then as he got a little older he would stay in bed and every morning exactly at 2am I would have a little boy tapping me on my nose and stating "you know, I'm sleeping alone??!!" Yea kiddo I know. The thing is/was he was afraid my hubs and I would dissappear in the night. We aren't sure what has made him think that, but it is the case and something we are trying to determine through therapy. Now he is 7. His mattress at present is on our bedroom floor as we have one air conditioner working and it is in our room. He does however stay in his bed and only migrates to ours when my husband works an over night shift. To tell you the truth i would like him less in our bed, but since he has anxiety and loves to cuddle I am not too devatated over it neither is hubby, It's just my mom who has an opinion and I rarely listen to her anyway(lol)
I have 5 year old twin boys. One sleeps with me in my husbands and my bed, and my husband sleeps in the spare room with the other twin! This is every night! I have a 3 1/2 year old daughter who thank gos sleeps in her room, but sometimes crawls into where Im sleeping with one of the boys! NOT FUN! I would love some advise on how to get them to sleep in their own beds.
Our son (8yo) does this: Sometimes in our room, sometimes his. Will start out in ours and we'll carry him to his, or will pile in with us in the middle of the night.
It's neither a problem, nor a challenge, however.
