Ending Co-sleeping

I read a great article about transitioning from co-sleeping to one's own bed. The basic jist of the article was to make sleeping in one's bed a positive experience (using a star chart for going to bed in his own bed and eventually for staying in his own bed all night). If, for whatever reason, he didn't want to sleep in his bed that night, or didn't stay in his bed all night, be okay with that. Keep the experience positive for both mom and child. That way everyone is happy at night! I'm not ready to transition my son into his own bed yet, but when I am, this process sounds like a great one to try. Good luck!

my son slept with my husband and i until he was about 2. it was very difficult for us to have him sleep in his own bed, but we did survive. we started with a cot beside us and if he would climb into bed with us during the night i would take him back, sometimes 5 times a night. that took about 2 weeks then we did the pallet on the floor (didn't work for us at all) i finally got really tired of losing sleep so i set up his room with him just the way he wanted it. and we ended up spending 100.00 dollars on a lighted fish tank for his room. for every night that he stayed in bed all by himself i would take him to walmart and get him another cheep fish to put in his tank.

the first few nights of him being in his own room were rough, mostly he cried himself to sleep. don't get discouraged, they do get over it, but you deserve to have your own bed back!.. hope this helps.

I also had trouble with this when my kids were younger. What worked for me was setting a new bedtime routine that includes him being in his bed, reading books etc. and then putting him back in his bed if he joins you during the night. I was more consistent about doing that with my second child even when she was a baby and I did not have the same issues with her. It took my older son longer to get used to it because I did not set that consistent routine with him until he was a toddler and it made it a lot harder. Hope that helps :)

This doesn't have to be horrible.. My advice is to take it slow.. My daughter slept with us till she was anout 1 and half. get a routine.. We started with us going to her bed. Reading books, then laying with her till she went to sleep, then getting up... Then we sat in a chair and waited till she fell asleep. I was so surprised how much faster she fell asleep without me there to play with. Then I moved the chair to the door. Then I just starting leaving with out sitting in the room. Occasionally(she has had a long day) she will ask me to sit in the chair while she lays there and I will for a few minutes.. We were lucky enough to do this with no tears...

my oldest did the same thing, she slept with us since she was a few months old. at first it was in the bassinet next to the bed, but then when i went back to working nights, daddy started putting her in bed with him. she still slept in bed with me even though her toddler bed was in the same room with me. finally my sister and her daughter spent the night and we put the kids on a pallet in the floor, you know like "camping out"...needless to say she slept on the floor for awhile but at least i had my bed to myself and then one night i asked if she wanted to sleep in her bed and she did it. maybe this might help. good luck

The dependancy is something you have to teach them or you will never get a good nights sleep. The best way is to start during the day time and by putting their bed in their own room. Make it a big boy thing. Mommy has now got to turn her babies into big boys. It is hard to let go of our apron strings but it is time to do it sooner or later and this is the best time to show them how much you really love them.

Start putting them down for naps in their rooms in their beds and if you have to lay with them until they doze off then sneak out of the bed. Let them wake up in their room alone and see how nice it is to have their own room to wake in and to play in when they do wake up. Their room is their castle, their domain. The place they keep their special items, their clothing and toys. Not in moomy's room and this is what you need to stay to stress to them gently. When they bring things to your room have them take them back to their room like big boys and reward them with hugs. That is mommy's big boys. It is all about training them what is big boy jobs.

Helping mommy with cleaning their room. Putting their toys up in their room. Their blankets in their room. Identifying things for them to see what is yours and what is theirs. It will take time and maybe a little crying but you will be putting them in their beds and having them stay their before it is over with.

Hi~
That is a tough one. Especially since you are working and need your sleep. On the flip side is there another reason why you are continuing to doing it? (to spend more time with them or guilt for working full time?) Whatever you do it will be a challenging problem, and will require several tries. Do not give in. Kids at this age will realize your breaking point and wait you out to say yes! If you do that they will keep trying and be relentless each time they want something. Be prepared for tears and begging......(so hard to be a mommy an not give into them). I would start by talking to them about what your new rules are, get them used to the idea during the day so it is not sprung on them. Do it on the weekend. (unless you work on the weekend, then your day off) Do they have a special blanket or bear that they can take to bed with them in your place. I had child gates on the outside of their door. I cracked the door so the night light in the hallway could give a little light. This will teach them boundries. Guide them back to bed, with very little talking, none is best. They will do anything to get you to talk!! It may take guiding them several times back to bed without talking before they get the picture. It will happen, it may take some time, but be persistent and hold your ground. If you give in at all you have wasted even trying. Basically say what you mean and mean what you say! Be strong, it will be worth it in the end! Good luck!

I am a new grandmother but also mother of 4 kids, all in college or older now. what I did was lay down in their bed with them until they went to sleep and then I got up.

Dear N.,
Let me know when u find a solution. My 12 almost 13 year old is still sleeping in the same room. Your story is an exact to mine. The older he has gotten he is becoming more independent(but not fast enough)& is starting to talk more about his own room. He has his own room, he slept in his own bed for half the night and I guess he got scared and came back to my room..My advice find something quick that will work or u will find your son bringing his wife home to your room.