DO YOU KNOW?
Do You Know?
Do You Know
How To Get Your Preschooler
To Sleep in His or Her Own Bed?
What Parenting.com Has to Say:
"How to Get Your Kid To Sleep in Her Own Bed": Your step-by-step guide to reclaiming your bed (and getting some sleep). Plus, get all your other baby and toddler sleep questions answered! By Teri Cettina
"The good news: You can untrain the little monster who's taking over your bed. The bad news: It may not be pretty. Your life is not an episode of Supernanny and your family's sleep issues won't get resolved in an hour or even a day. If you really want to make the change, though, and you're prepared for tears, wails, and cries of "But Mommy, don't you love me?" you'll make it through."
I. Before Bedtime: Talk about your bedtime expectations earlier in the day so your child will know what to expect when the time comes. Establish/keep a regular bedtime routine
II. After Lights Out: Don't go back on your word. You can't say "Just this once" or "Just for 5 minutes." The article says "That means midnight visitors get walked back to their rooms, tucked in, kissed, and left behind. No extra snuggles, no drinks of water, as many times as it takes. There will be screams and sobs, and kids so resistant you'll have to carry them, wriggling and accusing all the way, to their beds. Which they will jump out of in a split second. You will start to wonder if you will ever sleep again. You will; just maybe not tonight. Keep this up until the new rules sink in." Be persistent and consistent and your child will catch on! Stay strong and you will be very glad in the end!
III. The Next Morning: Praise and prizes! Reward your child with praise and/or prizes for doing a job well done! Even if they didn’t stay in bed all night, keep encouraging your child and reminding them of the new rule. Acknowledge any improvement (maybe (s)he stayed in bed longer than usual or didn’t get up as many times, any improvement is a step in the right direction and closer to having your bed back!)
How Does Supernanny Do It?
1. Follow a Bedtime Routine
2. Make sure your child does not have a reason to get up. Make sure your child doesn’t have too much to drink before bed and (s)he goes to the bathroom before bed.
3. Staying in Bed Steps:
1st time: Remind your child it is bedtime, lead them back to bed, give a kiss and a cuddle, and leave the room.
2nd time: Do the same thing but use a firmer voice and make the kiss and cuddle briefer.
3rd time and times after that: Say nothing at all as you lead your child back to bed, tuck them in, leave the room. No cuddle or kiss. This is hard but the important part because this gentle, consistent approach will let your child know you are there for them but that you are serious about them sleeping in their own bed.
4. Rewarding- Set up a reward system to encourage your child to stay in his/her own bed
Example: A Gold Star Chart
Good luck to all the parents struggling with this!
Remember to stick to your word and follow through and it will be worth it when you have your bed back!
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