It was a rule between my husband and I before we had our daughter that she would not sleep with us and be in her own crib in her own room. This is mostly because we had seen how hard it was to get children out of their parent's bed as they got older (my uncle and his wife still had their daughter in their bed at age 9!).
We stuck with this rule and she is well adjusted, able to go to sleep easily at home or at her grandparent's house and we are so glad that it all worked out. Of course there have been a few nights when she was sick that she slept with us but ultimately, she is more comfortable in her own bed.
I have friends whose preschoolers have slept with them since birth and most of them want to get them out of their beds now but are struggling. I am unable to give them advice since I didn't have to deal with the issue.
I was just curious how others have tackled this, whether putting children in their own bed from the beginning or how they got them out of their bed later on.
Our older son didn't like to sleep with us when he was a baby. I would bring him to bed to nurse and then he would let me know he was done. If we didn't get him back to his bed, he would cry. I think that our small bed was too cramped and hot for him.
Our new baby doesn't like to sleep in his crib much at all. He sleeps with us a lot of the time, but as he approaches six months, we plan to start putting him in his own bed more often.
Now that he is 2.5, our older son wants to fall asleep with us. I don't know how to work that out since he goes to bed at 8:30 and his dad and I like to spend the time until 9:30 or 10 talking and reading. We may decide to sacrifice that time in the evening to fall asleep without son earlier. Then we would get up earlier in the morning to spend time together sans kiddos.
I was just curious how others have tackled this, whether putting children in their own bed from the beginning or how they got them out of their bed later on.
We sleep with our 3.5 year old daughter - we always have, off and on, since she was an infant. She has always been a great sleeper and will sleep anywhere we put her. I find that being sold on the idea of having her sleep in her bed is key. I like snuggling with her and value to the time we have together as she is falling asleep and first waking up. When she sleeps in her bed (which most nights she does), I find that I am the one with the problem sticking to it! Anyway, making sure that my husband & I present a united front to her about sleeping in her bed and being consistent with our method of taking her back each time she gets up is key as well. We also spend time talking with her about sleeping in her bed before bedtime so it doesn't come as a big suprise when we go to tuck her in.
I would urge your friends to stay consistent and do what is best for their families. There are always set backs - for us it is traveling - but it can be done!
Ouch.
Touchy subject. I have a 2 and 4 year old. I moved 2 years ago, and that sealed the deal for the eldest. It was easy with the drama of moving to get him into his room once we moved. Before that, it was tough getting him out of our room.
Then came Lil' Bump. He arrived about a month or so before the move. There was extra drama for the eldest, the new big brother, the new house, and all that, so I used it to my advantage. He's been with us most of the time, usually falls asleep on the couch, gets carried to his room where he sleeps 'til early morning. Then it's in bed with us. Horizontal usually, with mom and dad on our sides, right up next to the edge. I've got him to (usually) nap in his room without much fuss, and I figure he's close enough to sleeping all night, or at least until I'm up and gone for work, that he can spend a couple hours in bed with us.
I am SO looking forward to having a bed all to ourselves. I don't know what we'll do with all that extra room and no ki... Oh, wait, never mind.
