Some of us are blessed with children who can sleep anywhere—they just snuggle down and manage to tune out the world and get some good rest whether they are at home or away. Many children, however, may sleep just fine in the comfort and routine of their own home, but find that spending the night at grandma’s or staying in a hotel or any other type of away-from-home sleeping is impossible. What can a parent do when a child has a hard time sleeping when not in his or her own bed?
Some of us adults have a hard time sleeping away from home and it is due to so many factors—it might sound different in a new location, the temperature might not feel right, the sheets and blankets don’t smell the same, the lighting might be off—all of these issues can affect a child’s ability to sleep too. As the parent, you may need to make some accommodations to make sleeping easier for this child. Of course, you will want to bring along your child’s familiar sleeping items—a favorite blanket, pillow, stuffed animal, etc. but it may take more than that to get your child to sleep away from home.
Take an inventory of your home and your child’s room—what is “working” at home that your child is used to at sleep time? Do you listen to music or are there cars driving by outside? Is there a special nightlight or lighting in the room that the child is used to? Even the steady ticking of a nearby clock or the hum of a humidifier can be sounds that the child has grown used to. These things can be replicated while you are traveling or away from home with a little creativity.
You might need to make some adjustments to your sleeping arrangement while you are away from home. I know that when my children were young and we would travel, we would often all “camp out” together. It was scary for them sleeping in unfamiliar environments and they worried about finding the bathroom or not knowing how to get to me if they woke up at night. I was quite willing to let them all camp out in sleeping bags with me so that they could feel some reassurance and know I was nearby if they needed me. Listen to your child’s fears and concerns and be prepared to be flexible in order to make it possible for a child to sleep while away from home.
See Also: Co-sleeping Makes me Happy