This little monster doesn’t hide out under my bed, he crawls in it every night causing his mother lots of sleepless nights instead. When my ex husband and I first got divorced our son had a lot of changes all at once. Mommy and Daddy didn’t live together anymore, we moved in with Grandma and Grandpa, he moved from the crib into a big boy bed, and instead of having his own room he got stuck with Mommy. So when he insisted on sleeping in my bed at first I didn’t mind too much. He was going through a rough transition and quite frankly I liked the company.
But here we are ten months later and I still keep finding him crawling into my bed at night. I love to snuggle with him, really I do, but having little feet kick my ribs all night long is starting to take it’s toll on me. No matter how many times you turn him, he always ends up sideways with his feet right up against you so that you literally have six inches of bed to sleep on. Long night? I think so! So if you are having trouble like me, here are a few tips to get them back into their own bed.
Eliminate distractions in the room. Turn off the TV, turn off the computer, anything electronic should be put to sleep. TV and electronics stimulate your child rather than helping them relax enough to fall asleep. Even having the lights on from the computer can make it harder for your child to fall asleep.
Make sure you have a strong bedtime routine. Brush teeth, take a bath, read stories, etc. to help them know that it is time to calm down and get ready for bed. After you’re done reading stories and tucking them in, leave the room. This helps your child become less dependent on your presence. Do you really want to have to stay in the room til they fall asleep forever? If it helps tell your child you will come back to check on them in a few minutes. Continue to check on them, but increase the amount of time before visits. This way they know that you are still there, but it increases the chances of them falling asleep between visits.
If they are afraid of monsters under the bed have a special night light in their room. Also have some stuffed animals or a special blanket that will help “protect” them from the monsters. Sometimes simply telling them that there’s no monster under the bed just isn’t enough.
And last but not least, be consistent! If you give in and let them sleep in your bed just this once, it only teaches them to be more persistent. The harder they cry the more likely Mom is going to give in. Don’t do it. Tell them that you love them and send them back to bed with a hug and a kiss. Trust me, as a single mom, you need your sleep and so do your kids!