Hello all - my 3 year old son has been waking several times a night, every night. I need advice/tips on how to help him stay in bed so that he's not coming into our room 4-5 times a night. His needs are wanting a glass of water or he may wake up and his covers are off. We keep his water cup in the same spot and we've been teaching him how to cover himself, but he'll still come into our room. I will get up if he's sick or needs to use the bathroom, but I feel he can do the other things on his own. He may just be lonely when he wakes up and comes into our room first thing. I give him a stuffed animal at night as a "buddy". Has anyone else been through this, and if so, did any remedies work? Thanks in advance.
P.
What worked for us was silently marching our child back to bed. Nothing was said except, "go to sleep." Turn around and go back to bed.
Good luck.
Our son did it a little but not that many times a night. It does become a habit though. We tried many things too but then finally threatened to put a lock on his door. His doc recommended it. We put one of those doorknob locks on the knob so he could not turn it. He cried and cried the first night, it was very hard to listen to it. Finally after over an hour of him crying I went in and tucked him in and he went to sleep. After two nights of this we told him that if he stays in bed all night we will take the 'lock' off and he did. After that we just had to threaten to put it back on. Keep in mind we did this when we lived in a house that his room was right across from ours and we had a monitor in our room so we could hear him. I would not do this if his room was far away and I felt it was unsafe in case of emergency. Good luck
There is a great book called "How to solve your child's sleep problems" by Dr, Ferber. It addresses sleep issues at various ages, minor and major. Your library may have it. This is not per the 'Ferber method', but how about making him a bed in your room, and telling him that he can come in and lay down on it, but he cannot wake you? Or even letting him start there for a while and seeing if he will sleep through the night in your presence? That way you can find out if it is just fears or perhaps something physical. Or alternately, if he falls asleep on his own, maybe add a bed to his room, and one of you sleep there for a while? My 10 year old had scary night mares for a while and I slept in her room and once she made it through the night for a week+ I just went back to my own bed (but left the extra bed in her room) and she did not even notice. Good luck, lack of sleep is so debilitating, you are not alone.
What else is going on in his life? Is one parent working more ? Is a grandparent ill or a new sibling on the way. He may just need more comfort at this time. They are only little for a short time and can very needy at this time.
So if he needs you at night then just needs you. I have gotten my kids a ling body pillow and put a nightgown on it that I slept in the night before as comforting thing in their beds also you could put a picture of him and you together near where his drink of water is too. Good Luck!
J. O
mom to 5
