Children love to visit mommy and daddy’s room and sleep there. Little by little, this can become a habit and there is no one to get them out of there; every night they have some excuse to make a little room for themselves.
On the one hand, this has advantages, since the child feels safer, sleeps better and, therefore, parents will not have to come to their night calls. But, on the other hand, it has disadvantages, lack of space, lack of privacy…. In addition, if he has siblings, they will want to do the same.
For this reason, today we want to give you some recommendations to get him out of the habit of sleeping in your bed:
A) If you do it out of fear
From the age of two onwards, it is common for children to have nightmares, as well as fear of the dark. All this increases the fear of sleeping alone and the number of visits to the parents’ bed increases. It’s okay to let him get into your bed on these occasions; this way you show him that you understand how he feels; but if it becomes a frequent occurrence, the best option is to look for other solutions so that it doesn’t end up becoming a necessity. For example:
– You can leave the door to his room ajar and leave a dim light in the hallway to indirectly illuminate his room. It is also a good idea to buy a small lamp that they sell for these occasions, or leave the blind half open; this way if he opens his eyes in the middle of the night he will see that he is still in his room.
– If your child wakes up anxious, the best option is to come to your child’s side and stay with him until he calms down. Following a bedtime routine, such as reading a bedtime story, can help your child sleep more relaxed.
B) If you do it out of habit
If the problem is that your little one has been used to sleeping with you for a long time, asking him to sleep in his room from one day to the next will not work, you will have to give him some motivation. For example:
– You should explain to him that since he is older he will sleep much more comfortably in his own bed and will have more space.
– You will be able to decorate it as you wish: you can choose the sheets, the comforter…
– You will be allowed to do things that are not allowed in your bed: read a bit before turning off the light or put a toy between the sheets…
If this does not work and he keeps getting up, you can propose a deal. For example, if he sleeps a consecutive number of nights alone in his bed, you will give him a small agreed prize. The children’s parents are encouraged to share with each other, such as going to the movies, decorating their room with a poster of their choice, delaying bedtime by 10 minutes, etc.
