Kicks in the back, hands to the face, and contending with a horizontal sleeper are common experiences that parents have when they share a bed with their toddler for the night. Each of these things results in loss of sleep for mothers and fathers, not to mention the occasional scratch or bruise. The irony of it is the child is not getting adequate rest either.
If you have the chance to create a more favorable sleeping routine, then take it. It is not the best time to start divesting yourself of your would-be sleeping companion if you are currently struggling with potty training or have just moved into a new home. Your child’s schedule is already upset, and another change is not likely to go smoothly. But if you and your little one are ready, here are a few tips to help you all get a more peaceful night’s sleep. Related read: Promotion Code For Sittercity Saves You Money
Psych Them Up
Make bedtime and the prospect of being in their own bed alluring. Buy them colorful sheets with their favorite designs or characters on them. Make sure they have a special stuffed animal or two in there with them. Also, provide a small night light if they would like that. The idea is to tempt them into their own bedrooms with things they enjoy.
Let them help you with the process of making up their bed exactly the way they want it. While you are doing this, it is a good idea to start explaining that children sleep in their own beds. Try not to use words like can’t or won’t. Just firmly tell them that they will love their bed and will have good dreams while in it.
Settle Them In For The Night
Make it a point of tucking them in, and do not forget to tuck in the stuffed animals. Gently remind them that you do not have cool race cars or pretty princesses in your room to keep them company. This will encourage them to see the good points about staying in their own room. It sometimes helps relax a child if you sit beside them and read a short story. Some children even fall asleep at this point and you have the opportunity to slip out to the sanctity of your own bed.
Stay Firm
When your child appears at your bedside and begs to get in with you, do not get angry or raise your voice. Simply tell them that it is time they went to their own room. Walk them back to their bed and tuck them in again. Invariably, these little masters of manipulation will start whining. You may even hear some pretty outlandish reasons why they think they need to be in your bed. Do not buy into the hype. You might deal with a return visit a few minutes later, but say nothing and return them to their bed.
Sometimes you have to let them cry it out. This is not the time to get soft and give in. If you cave, chances are you will have a child in your bed far beyond what you and your partner feel comfortable with. If you let them cry, eventually they do wear themselves out and drift off to sleep. Related read: Sittercity Reviews Provides Tips On Finding Sitters
Reward Good Behavior
As with most things related to your child, a bit of positive reinforcement always helps. Praising them for a job well done when they spend the entire night in their bed increases their self-esteem. Some parents have found bestowing a small token of appreciation will give them something to look forward to in the morning. Stickers, small toys, and other inexpensive tiny items are the prize they earn for good behavior. Just do not go overboard with large expensive toys or you will have made a costly error.
You can win the bedtime war with your child. Training your child to sleep in their own bed is the right thing to do. You and your partner will enjoy a more restful night, and your toddler will take another necessary step toward independence. And, that is what all parents really want in the end.
My daughter gives me all these weird and funny excuses to sleep on our bed that I can’t stay firm. I end up cracking up with her excuses.
It gets really uncomfortable when our 6-year old son sleeps with us. However, I don’t really mind because eventually he’s going to want to sleep on his own bed. I just want to enjoy these cosleeping moments because they’re not going to last forever.
It’s hard to stay firm especially when the little one starts to cry. It’s really heartbreaking to see the tears roll down when you have to say no. Nonetheless, it just has to be done. It really is a good way to train the little one to sleep alone.
Thanks for the tips. I have been trying to get my son to sleep on his own bed. He has been sleeping in our room but on a different bed. At ten years old, it’s time he makes use of his own room.
Reading a book before bedtime seems to work for us pretty well. It’s a deal that I make with my daughter each time she chooses to sleep on her own bed.
My son is now eight years old. He has been so used to sleeping on his own bed until he saw a horrible horror movie. Now, he can’t seem to sleep alone. He’s always bunking in with us. I’m just giving him some time. I hope he goes back to his room before such time when I need to talk to him about it.
My son has always slept on his own bed. Soon as he was out of his crib, he was on his own. I made sure he got used to sleeping alone. But the thing is, he never wants to sleep anywhere else. He always has to sleep on his own bed.
My son started sleeping on his own bed a couple of weeks ago. But somehow, we’re missing him. Then again you’re right. We have to be firm. Thanks for the tips.