We've been struggling with getting Noah to sleep in his super comfy twin size bed since like...getting rid of the crib a year ago. It's been a battle every night. He is now two and a half and sleeping with him in our queen size bed is impossible (and painful).
We have tried everything short of locking our bedroom door and letting him figure it out at night. Our latest attempt(s) has been a combo of trying to get him to nap in the early afternoon--not at 6 pm as he would like to or eliminating the nap all-together so that he is so absolutely exhausted at night he will zonk out for at least 8 hours. Sometimes it works. Most times it doesn't.
So now I go in there and say a prayer, sing a song and choose our most favorite part of the day. Then I proceed to lay down (in a twin bed) with Noah in the hopes that he will be comforted by having me close and fall asleep--leaving me to sneak out of the room and back to my bed. That has happened probably twice in the 2 months we've been doing this. And I know it's our inconsistency that has made it so stinkin' difficult. It's hard to say "no" to that beautiful little face--especially when its 1 or 2 in the morning and you're half asleep.
But this post isn't about that. It's about last night and how flippin' tired I am today. I went into their room last night and did our nightly ritual. I left them there and Lola quickly fell asleep. Noah wandered in and out of our room multiple times and climbed into Lola's bed to try to wake her up. An hour later I got up and got him back in his bed and cozied up to him. He had me sing songs and then tried to climb over me to "go sleep daddy's bed." At this point I had had enough of being kicked by his pudgy little feet and slapped by his chubby little hands so I grabbed my pillows and laid on the floor...it was hard.
Without realizing it, I fell asleep and when I awoke I was sore and cold. But Noah was asleep--in his own bed! So I went back to my bed thinking the battle was over (it was 1 am). At about 4:30 he came sneaking in and since the sun was rising I let him under the blankets. But once again it's like being stuck in a confined space with a midget cage fighter. I left him there and took over his bed in the other room. 10 minutes later he came in looking for me and climbed in!!
So I have given up! I have come downstairs to find something productive to do (like blogging/complaining). And guess who is lying on the couch next to me?! Yup! Noah!!! It's touching and heart-warming to be so loved and needed, but couldn't it just be between the hours of 8am-8pm?! Please?!
3 comments:
Aw. Sounds like some attachment issues.
I have no advice for you. I don't know how to make kids do anything.
If you're looking for ways to get him to sleep on his own, try the book, "the no-cry sleep solution" It has a great section on getting toddlers into their own beds....It doesn't require crying, but it does require consistency.
otherwise, you can always try tying him into this bed.
Dear Carol,
This was my solution. Wendy was still trying to climb in our bed when she was 4. I made a comfy bed for her on the floor, folded blankets, pillow and all. When she came to climb in, I had her lay down on the floor and rubbed her back and sometimes hummed or sang to her for a while. Often, I fell asleep with my arm still resting on her back.
It worked to keep her out of our bed, and gradually she stayed more in her own bed. She was never that happy there, and only really slept in her bed every night when she could coax Cynthia out of her crib. That wasn't hard to do because Cynthia loved sleeping 1. out of her crib, and 2. with somebody else.
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