Need Advice - Maryville,TN

First, you never need to stop rocking your child, who will still be comforted by that when she's 16 and you wrap your arms around her and rock standing up. But rocking her to sleep, while precious, gets tiring. If she goes back to sleep for daddy, then the thing is that she knows you're a sucker and daddy's no nonsense. Rock her early in the evening or during the day while reading a story or watching tv, so that she has mom cuddle time, but at bedtime if you're rocking her every night, start changing your routine. Rock her before bath time, then put her in bed and read a story or sing a lullabye while sitting next to her and patting her. Maybe daddy would put her to bed for a week or so while you break the rocking at bedtime habit. You don't want to lose that sweetness sooner than you have to, but this way she'll learn that she can go to sleep without rocking even when you're there, and she'll still get to rock sometimes. So reinforce the love and closeness while changing the bedtime habit, and it'll be faster to get her back to sleep.

The toddler bed is good timing because you can sit on the edge and tuck her in and read a story, and develope a new routine. Changing beds can go along with new Big Girl bedtime habits. But as the mom of teens, I want to stress that soon enough when you want to hug them they'll pull away, or allow it only for a minute, so get all your hugging and rocking time in now but earlier in the day!

She's never too old to be rocked. I have a 23 yodd that loves me to rock with her sometimes in my chair. BUT these little ones learn early which parent they can get what from. And she knows from you she gets picked up. Do what your husband does, stick to it, it'll be tough, but once she knows that neither of you will pick her up, she'll stop.

Rock her during the day and early evening, but rocking children to sleep for the night is not always best. They need to learn to fall deep asleep on their own. So go in, lay her back down, pat her back, don't turn on lights or talk to her above a small whisper and she'll start to understand where you draw the line as well.

This may not be the right answer, but you have several choices. I had twins and the rocking swing became a good tool for me. It was difficult for me to rock them to sleep. At the same time, when they were reaching 2 years old, I stopped rocking them so I would not end up carrying them in my arms all the time.

I used the mobile and light set still to entertain them and a vibrating bouncer to provide the soothing movement they may have been seeking. Then one day it stopped. I cannot explain it.

Wish you luck.

I still rock my daughter and she will be 3 years old in May. I only rock her for 5 minutes after we have read stories and so on-- we talk about her day and what she did-- a little private time. She has been in a toddler bed since she was 2. However, her crib/toddler bed converts to a full-sized bed and when that happens.... the rocker will have to move downstairs (which saddens me, actually)-- but then I will lay in bed with her like I do my almost 5 year old son and talk about her day that way..... enjoy it while you can.....

Mel