Ideas to Get 32 Month Old to Sleep in Own Bed??

You're right, it will be hard at this age at first, but she, like any child, can do it!!!!

Make it a celebration during the day, that now she's big and has her own cute room and bed-special sheets, good pillow, animal friends, books near by. Go to her bed a lot during the day (not at night) for books or snacks and naps etc to get her used to liking her bed. I would also start making sure she's really tired at night in advance with a little extra active playing during the day, slightly shorter nap if she takes one, and be sure she eats a lot-no sugar-so she's nice and full. Nice night routine.

Then, when the time comes, stand firm. She must sleep alone. If you give in to crying, she will learn to cry even longer to get comfort, or moved to you bed, or whatever. If you're gonna do it, DO IT! Don't think of the crying in the moment so much as the importance of having her secure and happy sleeping alone when the process is done. It almost never takes longer than a week if you don't give in. Sometimes only a night or two. Don't bother trying to get her to sleep with others, etc, she needs to be secure sleeping herself no matter where she is. Our family travels a lot, and the fact that we got both kids sleeping alone from the start has been a godsend, because whatever our arrangements are, they like to go off on their own and sleep.

You can do it! Hang in there!

For starters, I would be sure your child can find you -- and be VERY SURE the basement stairs have padding at the bottom. YOu don't want a sleepy child to come to find you in the middle of the night and fall down the stairs, land on cement and crack her skull open. Do you have a baby monitor? If not, get one. Teach her to talk into it to call you, so if she wakes up at night and needs you, she calls, rather than comes down the stairs . . . .

I would plan to join her in her new bed in the "kids" room initially. One of you could do the bedtime routine, then lie down with her for a while, either until she falls asleep, or for 1/2 hr or something. Then get up, and head to your own bed. She'll get used to waking up alone, and if she wakes in the middle of the night, one of you could also join her in her bed either until morning, or until she falls asleep and you can swap back to your own bed.

You can also build up the idea that she's the BIG GIRL in the bedroom, and she can help take care of her little brother. She may be very proud of that, and make the whole process easier . . .

But my guess is that it won't take long before you can read her a story, give her hugs and kisses and walk out, leaving her to go to sleep, knowing you'll check on her again before you go to bed. :-)

How about putting her into her bed now or letting her sleep on the floor?

How about the living room? can you sleep there? pull out sofa?

I agree with Sharon. Just come up with a plan and stick with it. It will be tough but she'll get it after 5-7 days. hang in there. And, you know, everyone in the house has got to be onboard with the plan! ;-) Good luck!

Hi Jen

I think you are right, it will be a tough transition for her. I think I would start talking it up now. Tell her that Mommy and Daddy are moving into their new room, and she and baby brother are going to have their own special room now. Tell her she will be sleeping by herself in her very own big girl bed. Let her pick out her new sheets and blankets and accessories if you can afford them. Also, I would tell her when it is going to start - on Friday you will start sleeping in your big girl bed by yourself-. Then, once it does start expect that it won't be easy, but JUST DO IT. You may have to keep taking her straight back to bed and reassuring her, but don't let her come back and forth to sleeping with you and sleeping in her bed, I think that will make it a harder and longer transition. Just keep telling yourself that this too will pass and before you know it she'll be sleeping in her own bed. Good Luck to you. BTW, I went through this with every sleep transition my oldest son has gone through, crib to toddler bed, toddler bed to twin bed ( I should have skipped the toddler bed!) It took about a week to 10 days for us.