Bedtime Woes - Stuart,FL

Hi E., I have a granddaughter about the same age, and we went through much of the same thing with her. She had been sleeping with her mother and didn't want to use her own bed. It has been a gradual change, but we have worked at it slowly. With a new home, that is a good time to make the transitition. We found that using a night light in her room really helped. Also, for a time, we allowed her to come in during the night to her mother, but then would return her to her own bed. Part of what you are going through is her not wanting any changes and she is at the age where she is learning to manipulate mom. You must remember that for all this time, she slept with you, so try and be patient, but firm with her. You will see her accepting it soon. Good luck.

K.
www.anitafarm.com

Dear E. B.

Try doing what I did with my son, it was a pain in the neck for a while but it payed off in the end. I let him fall asleep with me in my bed, and then I carried him to his room and put him in his bed. He then slept through the night and woke up in his own room in the morning. It took almost six months before he would fall asleep in his own bed, but once he got used to going to sleep in his own bed like a big boy we had no problems.

L. B.

Girl, I know what your going through because I went through the same thing. Especially when I enrolled her in daycare @ 18 months and she will cry & cry every morning for 4 months straight and it affected her sleeping. Not only that she never slept the whole night before that. I tried everything. I bought books, etc. One day I spoke with one of her teachers and she told me that she reads to them then puts on a Lullaby CD and they all sleep. She advised me to do that @ home. I then went and bought the Baby Einstein Lullaby CD and put her on a schedule. I would bathe her @ 8pm read to her for about 15 minutes, say a prayer before going to sleep, then play the CD (left it on repeat to play the entire night) for her to go to sleep. At the beginning it was hard because i had to put her on a schedule but after a week it went from bad to awesome. She now ask for me to put the CD on. The teacher said that for some reason it soothes them.

Try it, it won't hurt. Just try to keep a schedule that's the most important thing.

Hi E.,
I am a 40 something mom that has 3 kids 13,13 and 10. Believe me when I tell you that I blinked and my oldest turned 13! My point is, why does that little one of yours have to sleep in her room? What about putting her mattress down next to your bed por awhile? Moving to a new home may be frightening her. She'll sleep and you'll sleep! There's a famous pediatrician (I don't remember his name)that had I think about 6 kids. He was the one that promoted the family bed idea where your kids sleep with you until they no longer want to. I was never big on that idea (my littlest one would flail her arms about when she slept!) but I'm all for giving them comfort when they need it. Maybe you could reward her when she is willing to sleep in her room say one night a week. Encourage her to be a big girl. Visit friends where they have little girls that sleep through the night in their own room. Transition her into her new room slowly so she doesn't go backwards in her progress. They really do grow up soooo fast! There'll come a time when she won't want to sleep in your room and believe it or not but you might miss it! Good luck! K.