Toddler refuses to sleep in his bed now

**imagine** · 06-18-2010, 05:08 PM

Originally Posted by mek42

Is it ok to make exceptions for extraordinary events like thunderstorms or earthquakes?

I would say there are exceptions for many things.

I personally believe that parenting should take into account the situation, child's personal needs and personality, family's needs etc. - So many things so many different variables.

I believe that there are no absolutes in parenting.

Parenting is an art, not a science.

That is my humble opinion

**frugalfranny** · 06-18-2010, 07:14 PM

Originally Posted by frugal is fun

Exactly! If they come into your bed, don't let them in, get up and walk them back to their own bed and stay with them until they fall asleep.

BUT a big part of this is, don't stay all night and as the days going on, make the time in their bed less and less so they can adjust and you're not their for hours, which is an entirely NEW problem.

And don't get frustrated, it may take some time but the sooner you nip this in the bud the better!

Yep.......the nipping in the bud part.........

Know of any reason why this started?

This might help........

Tips for Helping Children Sleep in their Own Beds | DrGreene.com

**Palooka** · 06-19-2010, 02:53 AM

He just turned three not long ago and this was the same age my other son started coming in our bed, but he was not as strong willed and grew out of it.

Way too big for gates as he can take them down, even a good one. He is a big boy.

I wouldn't want him to feel like I locked him in his room....

Yes, we keep a good routine with him and have done the laying down in the bed with him a few times these last couple of weeks. Dh does it better than I do because he can relax in his bed and tip toe out. I wake him up when I try.

Dh layed down with him for almost an hour tonight and so far so good.

He is in a regular bed with all his favorite car blankets and stuffed animals and his room is pretty cozy. I guess laying down with him in his bed at night will be the new routine. Sometimes we were just tired and let him fall alseep in our bed.

Of course now he is sleeping soundly and I'm not.

*sigh*

Thanks for the advice.

**Greebo** · 06-19-2010, 04:55 AM

I recommend duct tape because there's no problem duct tape cannot solve!

**imagine** · 06-19-2010, 10:02 AM

Originally Posted by Greebo

I recommend duct tape because there's no problem duct tape cannot solve!

need to reupholster a chair? -- duct tape

need to fix the car? -- duct tape

need a prom dress? --duct tape Stuck at Prom

**JessieMom** · 06-19-2010, 10:19 AM

Originally Posted by Greebo

I recommend duct tape because there's no problem duct tape cannot solve!

So true, lol, funny story about duct tape - My DS#1 had to have surgeryto lengthen his heel cord when he was 12. After the surgery they put him in a cast to help it heal. Well, we went to visit family in NH and he managed to get it wet - really wet. We called the emergency room at the local hospital & was told they didn't have an orthopedic surgeon there so we should take him to a different hospital. We ended up taking him to a small hospital just over the border in to Vermont. The cut the cast in half to get it off, cleaned him up, took the moldy "stuffing" out of the cast & started wrapping the ankle & leg up again. Then I realized they didn't have any casting materials in the room only the padding stuff - the dr told me of his intentions - to rewrap him with padding, put the old cast back on & DUCT tape it to hold until we got home! AND he was SERIOUS

My husband really got a kick out of it & thought it was the perfect solution - i made them put on a new cast, lol.

I never had a problem with the boys wanting to sleep with us, but DD is a different story. She never did it when she was small but the past 4 or 5 years she begs to sleep with me. I know what it is due to though - my DH started traveling for work around that time and she likes to sleep on his side of the bed when he is gone. She never asks or crawls into bed with us when he is here. Unless i am super tired I usually cave & let her sleep with me.
We were firm with all of the children about our room being our private space from the time they were young - we didn't do any kind of "bonding" type activities in there so I honestly think it never occurred to them to want to crawl into bed with us.
One of my friends is using the sticker & chart method to try to keep him in bed (he gets a sticker for going to bed in his room without giving them a hard time, sticker for staying in the bed through the night. So many stickers gets a small prize. Ok it's bribery, lol, but it seems to help. I used to use this method for my kids chores when they were young & it definately worked for that.
I guess I don't have any real advice, just a hug & some encouragement to keep trying because I know from friends that have had this problem it is very tiring and hard to break them of the habit.