How to be super mom and help my child sleep alone?
How can I get my kids to stop crawling in my bed at night? This is every parent's question.
What's greater than being able to sleep all night without any disturbed moments?
The techniques are so simple we just have to be creative and patient.
I have 2 kids myself, my 4 years old never slept in my bed even though she has tried all the tricks she could come out with. But by increasing her self-confidence and by helping her learn how to fight her fears she managed to sleep alone in her bed and she is very proud of her achievment!
1- Find out the underlying reason behind his behavior
There is a reason your child wants to sleep with you, and correcting her behavior should tackle the underlying issues. Investigate to find out your child’s motivation, perhaps using a creative approach such as acting out bedtime with dolls, or having your child paint pictures. Once you find out the reason, work to dispel the fears and insecurities.
"The things you are most likely to find are: your child has night time fears, i.e. she is afraid of the dark, being alone, closet monsters, etc.; she is jealous of one parent or a sibling; she is afraid of losing your affection if she ‘grows up,’" suggests Dr. Alan Greene, pediatrician and author of From First Kicks to First Steps.
2- Make your child's bed inviting and comfortable
You don't have to spend much, a warm and inviting wall paint colour, few stickers to decorate and beautiful bed sheets and covers will do! If your child is old enough let him pick his own room colour, buy him bed sheets and covers with his favorite cartoon characters,...etc. (For more tips on room designing please post your question here or on facebook www.facebook.com/maria.supermom)
3- Bedtime Routine
Take a warm bath, brush your teeth, read a bedtime story. Everything that is realated to sleeping time could be called sleep associations. If your child is used to taking a bath everyday before sleeping this will become the cue that will help your baby understand that it is time to go to sleep and to help him feel comfortable doing so. Becareful, let the bedtime routine be relaxing for your child and easy for you to maintain (For more details on sleep associations : http://www.phdinparenting.com/2009/02/01/sleep-associations-the-good-the-bad-the-ugly/#.T7nfdsVsInk )
Those are the most important techniques to be followed to help your child sleep alone. But still, some parents are facing more complicated sleep-alone problems like excessive crying and screaming, and issues related to separation anxiety. Therefore I ask you to post your case in a comment, on our facebook page www.facebook.com/maria.supermom or by email : mariaelaaraj@gmail.com and give us the chance to help you.
References:
www.supernanny.com : Get your child to sleep alone
www.phdinparenting.com: sleep associations
www.parents.com
Your Baby and Child: From Birth to Age Five, by Penelope Leach