What is the best way to get my three year old to sleep in her own bed?

Answer 1

Tell her that the boogeyman is hiding in your closet or under your bed and that she will be safe in her own room.

Answer 2

Summer is the best time for this method:

Have a set routine at set times e.g., until 4:30 play, 5:00 dinner, 6:000 bath, 6:30 brush teeth, 6:45 in stories in bed, 7:15 say goodnight with a hug and kiss, tuck her in, lights out, then sing songs. (Also be careful about her takinf long naps during the day.)

Run your child ragged during outside play (outside is key). Especially good if you can have other children join in ... at a playground or with a play date.

Place the child in their own bed during story time. If the routine thing hasn't been establish, work it into her routine for at least a week+, before you leave her in her room. Make sure you have a 'lovey' (like a favorite doll) between you and her while reading. You can even say, "Molly wants to hear stories too."

Make sure you minimize physical contact with your daughter after she has been tucked in with the lovey. You might have to start this process in the bed with her. After a few days, work your way to the floor beside her bed and hold her hand (be firm once you get to the floor stage), next a chair, until you can leave the room to 'use the bathroom' ...promising to come back and check on her... which you should do until she is comfortable being there by herself.

If your child wakes up during the night to get in your bed, as quietly (and quickly) as you can, lead her back to her bed and tuck her in under the covers... as many times a night as you can bare. (You might want a mental rule, if it's before 5:30 she goes back in her bed, after she can stay. Or not.) Don't sing at this point and try to leave before she is completely asleep.

Also try talking to her about it... about you love her but would like to sleep without her in your bed.... especially in front of people who she may respect ... grandma/pa, the doctor, cousins, etc. Not to embarass her at all, but to let her know that you have confidence in her ability to do it.

This method worked for me.

Good luck (the outside exercise IS key).

Answer 3

You may have to begin by taking her to the bed after she has fallen to sleep. Soother her if she wakes up scared. Work up to going taking her to sleep in the bed, waiting until she is asleep, then leaving the room. Soon she'll be waking up in her own bed and will accept it. Be sure to praise her and talk about how big girls sleep in their own beds. Maybe a favorite sleep partner, like a doll or teddy bear might help. Find a book or video that talks about sleeping in your own bed. Move up to a story before bedtime and tucking her in to sleep.

Answer 4

let her help you redecorate her room, if possible. she will part of setting up her own room and will be more apt to want to stay in such a cool place she herself helped with. you need to set a bedtime routine, write it down in a creative colorful way and post it where the two of you can go over step by step as she does it(brush teeth get drink read book etc) then tuck her in kisses and hugs reassure her you aren't leaving her, you'll see her in the morning, say good night and leave the room. everytime she gets up dont' say anything pick her up put her back in bed reassure her again then leave room immediately. do this consistantly every night all night long, she'll realize she isn't missing anything, you aren't going anywhere and that she is in her special place for resting, and is safe. hang in there...persistance is key....

Answer 5

I started using a reward system with my son. If he slept in his bed all night long then he could pick one toy from the dollar store. Eventually he started sleeping in his bed all the time and all night long. And he is now well know at the store.

Answer 6

try to put a night light in there. what i do to the 3 year old i watch i read a book leave a night light on or the TV. ask her what she scared of. or put her to bed before u go to bed wait until she falls asleep. never slay with her it a bad habit to get her in.

Answer 7

Tips For Helping Children Sleep In Their Own Beds
Many families throughout history have chosen a "family bed." In fact, in most cultures around the world today a "family bed" is the norm. If that is a family's choice, it can work very well. However, having a "family bed" is not for everyone. It also works well to teach children to sleep in their own beds. Here are some tips on how to help children sleep in their own beds:

It does not work well to tell children to sleep in their bed and then relent when they act up. This only teaches them that their persistence will be rewarded with a trip to your bed.


The best approach is to discover the underlying cause or causes for your child's behavior. At some level, your child knows why she doesn't want to sleep in her own bed, even if she isn't able to articulate what she is feeling. If you ask her outright what she is feeling, you may not get any valuable information.


A great way of discovering what your child is feeling is to play with her using dolls or action figures to represent members of a family. Have the characters act out several typical family situations: mealtime, going to the park, driving in the car, etc. Enact several of these non-threatening situations, and let your child put words into the figures' mouths. When you get to bedtime, if your child is hesitant to talk, you can try speaking for the characters. If your child has gotten into the play, she will correct you if you give the characters motivations that are inaccurate from her perspective.


Another approach is to encourage your child to color or paint while she tells you about what she is creating. Be sure to allow her lots of time to open up and don't react negatively if she says something you don't want to hear.


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"; or some variation of one or more of these.


If your child is suffering from night time fears, give her tools that empower her to overcome her fears:

o Give her a flashlight to play with (especially during the day in a darkened room) to help overcome fear of the dark.
o Give her a spray bottle filled with "monster spray" so she can shoot the monsters if they come out.
o Record a tape of her favorite stories and songs that she can turn on whenever she is feeling alone or afraid (it is best if the recording is of your voice).
o Give her a stuffed animal as big as she is to sleep with.
o Ask her for suggestions.


If the primary reason your child wants to sleep with you is night time fears, you should be able to switch her into her own bed as soon as she has the tools to cope with her fears.


If you discover that your child is jealous of one parent or a sibling, evaluate the situation and determine if she has reason to be jealous. If she has a younger sibling who is getting most of your attention during the day, she may feel the only time she "gets you" is at night. The best way you can help overcome her jealously is to pay special attention to her when she is not asking for it.


If your child reveals that she is afraid that she will lose your affection when she grows up, take stock of what you are communicating to her regarding growing up. You may inadvertently be sending her the message that you want her to stay a baby. If this is the case, consider how you can change her feelings by the way you communicate with her.


You will need to take some time for your child’s feelings to change before you can move her into her own bed. When you do, you may need to make the change in several stages. The first few nights she might sleep on the floor beside your bed. The next move might be right outside your door, then into her own bed. The large stuffed animal or the tape recording of your voice may help ease the transition.

Answer 8

night light and a bed time story. give her a special stuffed animal to sleep with in place of you or who ever she was sharing a bed with. she will feel as if someone is still there for her. she wont be alone.

Answer 9

well how we did it was we would try to get her to fall a sleep before us in her own bed then we would get in ours it worked or we would let her lay in her bed and watch tv and she would fall asleep now when she is tired and ready to go to bed she goes to her own bed

Answer 10

put her in her bed with a blanket u used and she likes if she comes inand trys to get in bed with you put her back in her own bed. Be firm dont let her sleep in your bed anymore