Help me! I'm a mom of a 4 1/2 yr old son.?

Question

I have been trying to get my son to sleep alone in his bed at night (w/o me).
After I put him to bed, he gets up out of bed 20 min later and ask if I can sleep w/ him or visa versa.
Note: Due to circumstances, we have had to sleep together for a few months, but this was 3 or 4 months ago.
Can you please give some suggestions on how to end this?

Answer 1

He might be scared to sleep alone. Ask him if there are things that make him scared at night when he's alone and you could reassure him that he's safe. Or you could try telling him that sleeping alone is what "big boys" do and doesn't he want to be a big boy? Tell him that if he does "big boy" stuff like sleeping alone he'll grow tall faster like a big boy. This is something I've heard parents say when they are trying to get their kids to eat too, that they won't grow if they don't eat.

Answer 2

Keep a stiff upper lip and make him go back to bed EVERY time.

Yes, he'll cry and probably throw a fit and it could go late into the night, but you just have to be tough. He'll get the idea eventually.

Also, you could try making sure his bed is a place where he wants to be. Let him pick his sheets, his blanket, his stuffed animals, his nite-lite, etc. Give him a going-to-bed routine (bath, go to the potty, put jammies on, brush teeth, story/song, night-night).

The best thing you can do, though, is to tough it out and DON'T give it and let him climb back into bed with you, and you don't climb into bed with him. Let him know you love him, and if he has bad dreams, you're right down the hall, but he needs his special sleep place, and you need yours.

Good luck.

Answer 3

I did hv this problems before. A suggestion from my doctor really helps.
The doctor advised is to keep the kid very busy at daytime. Make sure he didn't sleep on day time at all. Reschedule his food intake, he have to be full not empty stomach before sleep.
The room temperature have to be in very cozy situation and nice to sleep. Decoration of the room only helps about 20% to sleep.
After followed the advised its really works for my son. He did fall a sleep at 10pm and wake-up at 6:30 am.

Answer 4

Put a sleeping bag on the floor of your room, tell him he can come join you at night if he needs to -after mommy is sleeping, but he can't wake you up or else you will be grumpy the next day.

You'll find him in your room most mornings for awhile but eventually the novelty will wear off, he will know you are there if he needs you and will go back to sleeping through rather than getting up.

Answer 5

I went through this situation with both of my children.
What I did for both was for the first 2 nights, I put them in their own bed, but laid with them till they fell asleep. The next 2 nights, I sat on a chair next to their bed, close enough to touch. The next 2 nights, I sat in a chair near the door of their room. The next 2 nights I sat in a chair outside their door. By then they seemed to be comfortable, so they were going to their bed, and going to sleep with a hug and a kiss. A night light is always good, as well as leaving the door open. Good Luck!

Answer 6

I had a very similar situation, my son and I had to share a bed for a few months. when we got our new home he was afraid to sleep in his own: this is what worked for me. I would lay with him in his bed untill he fell asleep. we did this for a while untill he got comfortable being in his room. then I would remove myself from the room right before he fell asleep so that way he could fall asleep on his own. and slowley I would leave a little bit sooner and a little bit sooner. It also helped to have a routine like 15 mins of story time etc. It was a pain in the butt having to wait for him to fall asleep but now all I have to do is read him a story and tuck him.

Answer 7

Pick a meathod. There have been many great suggestions in previous answers, and im not going to bother repeating them. The trick that will make them work is CONSISTENCY , PATIENCE, and CALMNESS. Stick to it. If it works for three nights, then you have a bad night where he gets up alot and cries alot, and you give in, he'll know that all he has to do is put up a REALLY big fuss, and he'll get his way. it make take more than a week, and i'm sure you'll be tired, and so will he, but STICK TO IT!!!!! It will be worth it.

Answer 8

i'm perfect there with you. I actual have a 5 year previous stepson who's the perfect same way. His mom did not even attempt to potty practice him till he replaced into 4! She nonetheless provides him a sippy cup and he isn't made to devour something healthful. He beverages warm chocolate all day long. we don't get him lots because of fact we are 3000 miles away and we are military so can't return and forth frequently. frequently two times a year. So as quickly as we do see him, my husband provides into his infant whining because of fact he needs to have a sturdy time for the two weeks he will see him and not spend the excellent time punishing him. *traumatic* final time i attempted to declare something approximately it I have been given chewed out by potential of my Father in regulation. (made me cry) i think of that on the grounds that he's on your place frequently, you and your husband could desire to take a seat jointly and verify what the regulations could desire to be, write them on a great sign and consider/instruct them on your stepson. If he asks for something it extremely is against the regulations... instruct him the sign and remind him that for the time of this abode "we don't do this here". do not yell at or scold your husband because of fact it is going to easily make him shielding yet boost your concerns later remote from the newborn. he's have been given to make stronger up or that newborn is gonna be a brat perpetually. sturdy success! i be attentive to the way you sense and this is not a exciting situation to be in. according to danger enforce a "naughty spot" or timeout rug for whilst he's misbehaving.

Answer 9

Stay firm! no matter how many times he gets up, cries, or begs keep putting him back in his bed and telling him that he is a big boy now and he has to sleep in his own bed. You will want to give up before he does but don't. It will work.

Answer 10

if he has his own room put his bed in your bedroom let him fall asleep with you move him to his bed let him get back into sleeping on his own then prepare him for the move back to his bedroom. tell him he's a big boy now he has his own room and bed get him one of those spongebob spiderman (what ever charcter he likes) night lights. ($10@walmart) leave the door opened for him and let him know your right across the hall or where ever your bedroom is. he'll get it. my god daughter was 5 when she finally slept in her own bed. it worked great for her and my 3 year old. good luck with your son