Need help getting 2 year old to sleep in her own bed!?

Question

We allowed our daughter to start sleeping with us about a month ago when she was sick, and now she won't even go in her room. She screams and throws a tantrum if you leave her alone or in her bed. We even tried leaving her in there for a half hour, and sleeping on the floor with her. Neither worked.

Answer 1

I have a two year old that used to do the same thing. The key is consistency.

It'll be hard for a day or two, but put her in her bed. If she cries, just stoop down and look her in the face and say, "no, honey, you have to sleep in your own bed like a big girl". Then put her back in her bed. After an hour or so, she'll wear herself out and go to sleep. The next night, she'll try to give you a hard time again. But as soon as you make her realize that she is not going to get her way, she'll give in. Spanking isn't going to do any good. Consistency is best. I did this, and it worked. It took three nights of getting aggravated, but it worked eventually. I hope this helps!

Edit: Also, make sure the bed she sleeps in is used only for sleeping and naps. For instance, don't use her bed for time outs or tv watching. This instills that when mommy and daddy put her in the bed, it means go to sleep, and not to play. Good luck!

Answer 2

You might try to make her move back to her own bed more like an event - kindof like a birthday party or something.

Start about a week before you are going to insist she stay in her room. Remind her she's a big girl and tell her in 7 days she gets to start sleeping in her own room again. Tell her that every day, maybe check some books out from the library or make a countdown chart. You could even tell other people in front of her, if you have playdates or she goes to daycare, make a point to tell other adults "___ is going to sleep in her own bed in just 2 days!" and praise her so she feels like going back to her room is something to look forward to.

Then, on the day she is going to start sleeping in her bed again, you could take her to the store to buy a new stuffed animal to be her bedtime friend and maybe a new book to be her special bedtime book. I've found that with kids that age making something ordinary into something exciting makes them much more likely to respond. She still may cry, but if you have built up all these positive elements of the move, at least you can try to talk her back down. Good luck!

Answer 3

She's only two and depends on you, and feels secure with you. Letting her cry isn't going to solve the problem, only make you feel lousy. She doesn't understand the importance of sleeping in her bed and certainly won't understand if you force her. Here's an idea that might help. Take her to the store with you. Pick out a new comforter with her favorite disney theme. Also a colorful light that can be left on in the dark. Make a big fuss over the new items ( getting everything perfect for the princess). Tuck her in and read to her, let her fall asleep before leaving her. Get her in the routine of bedtime story (only tucked under her own covers). She'll eventually feel comfortable back in her own bed.

Answer 4

You can lie down with your daughter in her room for a few days , then just be with her till she sleeps .Read a book or play soft soothing music that will help her to relax. move to the chair ,and after a few days ,to the door. Then you can promise her you will peep in to kiss her goodnight after she has got into bed. Be gradual in maintaining the distance at night. It might take a month or more . But it will work if you are consistent. Put an interesting bed lamp in the room so that she is not afraid of the dark.

Answer 5

Have you tried bribery? Seriously! My son would do this constantly and it was hard on my sleep. He loved it and would even climb in my bed after I fell asleep sometimes.

Try using her favorite treat as a bribe. Not big stuff, she might catch on and keep repeating the gift giving express called "I want to sleep with Mom and Dad".

I offered my son $10 if he slept in his bed for two weeks. It broke the habit and the money was well worth it.

Answer 6

She feels more secure sleeping with you since being sick. She could be afraid of being left alone.
Gradually get her use to her bed again like for naps.
After she goes to sleep put her in her own bed.

Answer 7

You (and others) may not like my answer..but here it is. Let her be with you. She has discovered how comforting, safe, and loving it is to sleep with mom and dad. Look at it from her point of view, why should she go to a room all by herself when she can sleep easier with mom and dad? She's 2, not 20. There's nothing abnormal or bad about her wanting to be with mom and dad. The USA is the ONLY country that frowns upon kids sleeping with mom and dad. The rest of the world recognizes the value of allowing kids to get the security they need by sharing sleep with parents. My son has his own bed in his own room, and whenever he's ready, it awaits him. But until he is, he knows he's welcome to stay in mom's bed, where he can all the cuddling, extra attention and security he needs. Remember, if you don't allow her the comfort and security she needs now, it's likely she'll go looking for it from SOMEONE ELSE later in her life.
Ask yourself exactly why you're fighting her? Because if it's so it's more convenient for you, it's really not, is it? Because you're losing sleep and peacefulness in your household every night fighting her on what she needs. How many teens have you seen still sleeping with mom and dad? She'll go to her own bed happily (without fight) when she's ready.

Answer 8

Try Elizabeth Pantley's approach. She has a book out, "The No-Cry Sleep Solution for Toddlers and Preschoolers", that could really help you. Her website is http://www.pantley.com/elizabeth/ . Good luck!

Answer 9

put a gate up at the door, if she can climb it, close the door, if she can open it, put a child lock on it, and then just let her cry herself to sleep, she is old enough that she will get the hint and it wont last long. Mine took 3 days and she slept w/ us for amost 2 years.

Answer 10

The problem is that you two end up giving in to her. If you let her cry (for as long as it takes), and DONT GET HER, she will learn to stay in her bed.You will need to do this for about a week. It will be a lousy week (no one is going to get sleep), but I bet by the end of it, she will stay in her bed and sleep by herself.