Tricks to Get Kid into Own Bed

We just broke our newly turned 5 year old from sleeping in our bed. We started a point calendar and each night that he slept in his bed, he rec'd "points" at the end of the week if he had 20 points he could select an activity of his choice.

We are still working on getting him to go to bed while awake - around 7:30-8:00pm he gets his pajamas on and lays on the couch - if he's not asleep by 8:30 he goes to bed and my husband & I will sit with him until he falls asleep. 99% of the time, he is fast asleep and we just carry him to bed. It's not the ideal scenario but it works and my husband and I are back to having the bed to ourselves!

What worked for me and my two year old was I bought him a new soft blanket and a new pillow case. Every night I turn on Thomas the Tank Engine movie and he falls asleep. He loves Thomas. I keep a monitor in his room and as soon as I hear him make a noise I go into his room and rub his back. This usually works. Only happens once or twice a night. If he does get into my room without my hearing him in the monitor (he doesn't always cry) me or my husband carry him back to his room, rub his back and he falls right back to sleep. He does share a room with his 4 year old brother and that helps. We also keep a night light on. Good Luck

A.,

I saw a show on Dr. Phil, I believe, about this. It's a process that will take time and effort. They would take and put the baby in the crib (or bed in your case) and then leave. Then the baby would cry and she would go give him a bottle and sit with him for awhile (in his room in a rocker) and then put him in bed. Gradually, they worked up to her sitting by the crib and patting him, then just sitting there. Each time,they would talk soothing to him, patting him, and then leave him there.

I wish I could say it's going to be easy--especially with them old enough to be in a big kid's bed--but it's not. They'll be able to get out of the bed whenever they want, so it's going to be kind of Mom-kid warfare to keep them out, I bet. I wish you luck!

Hugs,
Kat

I did the family bed with my 6 and 3 year old and am now doing it with my 3 month old. When I thought it was time to put them in their own bed, I would tuck them in, kiss them good night and sit in the room with them until they fell asleep. I would have my own chair and read a book or do something while I was there and not pay attention to them, if they got out of bed, I would pick them up and put them right back without saying a word. If they got in my bed during the night, I would pick them up and take them back. Yes it's tiring for awhile but they get the point pretty quick.

With my little girl, we started with her laying on our floor only for awhile. We then moved her to her bed. The trick we used was- 1.put her to bed same time everynight
2. we would read a story
3. Then i would sit at end of bed, but do not look or talk to child, slowly inch towards door each night. even if they cry you have to stay firm. (it was hard) but we did it.
4. we now make forts/tents over the bed sometimes
5. she has her own flash light to scare away monsters too!
it worked for us, we still have our occasional problems, but she is 4 and now sleeping in her own room.

We did the family bed with my children also. They're both in their own bed now, but ocassionally end up sleeping with us part of the night. When we transferred them to their own bed the first couple of nights I camped in their room and slept on the floor all night. Then after that I just started leaving after they were asleep. If they woke up I'd put them in bed and again just lay on the floor next to their bed singing and patting them on the back until they fell asleep. It's worked for the most part and most of the time they sleep in their bed all night and come get in our bed early in the morning for some snuggle time.
Best wishes and God bless!