Help Please with 3 Yr Sleeping in Her Bed

We have to lock our door, otherwise I will wake at 3 am with my 5 year old and 3 year old squirming all over me. (though on rare occasions we let them sleep with us on the couch when we are watching a late night movie).

We do all the 'proper' bedtime routines, lots of cuddling throughout the day and night, storytime, they even have a night light... but they still come. Once they figure out our door is locked, they cry for maybe a few minutes then go and tuck themselves back in bed.

On bad nights if the kids are sick or really scared, I leave a sleeping bag on the floor at the foot of the bed and let them lay there. So long as they stay there and be quiet and go back to sleep, they can stay and it's okay for everyone.

Well when I was that age and older, that is what I did.
I simply missed my parents and would get scared in my room by myself.
I would trek down our LONG dark scary hallway, just to go to my parent's room. They let me in. I grew out of it.
It is one of my FONDEST memories, as a child, about my parents.
I still... remember it.

For our kids, if they do that. We have a futon on the floor of our room.
THAT is where they can go.
We don't battle about sleep... they get sleep, we get sleep.
No one is sleep deprived.
It is not a fight.
They do not try... and get into our bed.
It is not a 'habit' either... because they will sleep in THEIR bed too... they always go to bed, in THEIR bed. At night.

Kids at this age... do that.
They grow out of it.
They also at this age, get night-mares too.
It is developmental.

all the best,
Susan

There is no right answer, but what works for you. My daughter does this - and has for about 1 yr. For a while we did stickers for staying in her bed and it worked GREAT.. then I ran out of columns on my poster board and she announced "now I can sleep with you again mommy!". We decided she will grow out of it. She needs us to feel secure and I dont' mind that. Some of my best memories are chatting with her as I lie in her bed to put her down, or looking at her face when she falls asleep next to me in bed. Someday I'll miss those days, so I try to remember that when I'm exhaused or getting an elbow to the back. You have to make the choice that is right for you, set those boundaries, and be consistent. Good luck

take her back to bed each and every time she gets up. Be consistant and she will get right back on track. My son is 4 and does this on occasion, we just have to remind him that it is bed time and he needs to head back in his room.

No more snuggles after good-night kisses! "It's the rule." (I used that for alot of explanations.) You can put a twirly knob on her door so she can't open it at all, or do like Julie said--- take her back quietly, and promptly. Just don't give in, or it gets harder.

You are the mom and it's ok (and good/healthy in fact) to be in charge and say something like "look, this is how this goes....snuggle time is BEFORE mommy's bed time. Once Mom and dad are in bed it's OUR snuggle time/sleep time and if you must be in our room, this sleeping bag under the bed is for you. You can pull it out and sleep on it if you need to be here in our room, but you may NOT wake us up. We need sleep in order to not be cranky and mean." Best wishes!

My daughter is the same age and does this. She will not sleep with her door closed so that is not something we can use (those door knobs). Part of me doesn't mind it because I know she will grow out of it. But then when she's kicking and punching me in her sleep half the night, that is when it bothers me!! We've tried the bed on the floor thing but be prepared, they will still try to get into your bed. That worked for us a few times then after she'd come in and get tucked in on our floor, then later she'd crawl into bed with us and sometimes we'd never even wake up. We're moving her from a toddler bed to a twin bed tonight so I'm hoping in the worst case scenario, I walk her back to bed every time and lay down with her. Not the best option, I know...but I've learned that I will cave in the middle of the night and just let her sleep with us so I'm hoping to retrain her to fall asleep easily if I'm in the room and maybe one of these nights, she'll be sleeping so good (or so tired from going back and forth to our room and her room) that she'll sleep all night in her own bed. Good luck - we're going through the same thing so I feel your pain!