Sleep Issues - Millstadt, IL

Hey that was me when I was litle! My parents finally left a light on(just a small little light) enough for me to read when I woke up. They told me i needed to stay in my bed and it was ok if I was awake for a bit and could read-they left me an ample supply of my favorite(gentle reading) books so i could just enjoy the quiet time I had without any work like school or chores to do. I guess it worked cause I made it here to tell you and somehow got some sleep along the way. Give it a try-remember no sound stuff-books/radios/tv or anything else-just reading practice or they can make up their story and tell it after dinner the next day(not before) Happy Dreams!

I feel your pain. I have a 5 year old son and he goes through that every once in awhile. The only thing that helps him is that we have a talk about it before he goes to bed and let him know that he will not be able to get in our bed, etc... and if he does get up in the middle of the night I walk him back to his bed and leave. It usually takes a couple of nights but then he's back to normal and stays in bed all night. YEA!!! You might try that... also have you tried taking privilages away from him? That can work too - i.e. video games, tv... Good luck.

Hi Carrie I have twins, they are 13 now, but they both used to crawl out of bed as far back as 2 and come to our bedroom, sit by the door and make little noises until I noticed them, I would put them back in bed and they would get out again. So what I had to start doing, because we both worked was to cut their nap times in the daytime. Now since they are probably pre-school or kindergarten age, most schools have all children take a nap during the day. This is usually so the teachers/caregivers can get a break, but if it is causing problems for you at home, you might want to ask the teacher to indulge you and cut their nap short, or cut the nap short of the twin who wont go to bed at night. Also since it sounds like your child is suffering from some sort of separation anxiety, you might want to put a favorite toy of his to bed with him, try that to see if he will stay in his own bed. You need to do this right now, because if you keep letting him come to bed with you and your husband he will never get used to being in his own bed and when he is 8 or 9 he will still want to be in bed with you and your husband, so you must break this habit now. What I started doing with my twins was after they ate I would let them play with every toy in their bin, they could throw them, have them all over the room, I didnt worry about picking them up til the weekend. After they played to their hearts content, I would give them nice warm baths, baby oil them down (or not), read them a story, let them have their favorite animal and usually they would drift off to sleep with their animal underneath them and would sleep through the night, without coming to my room. It takes a bit of doing, but once you get a routine going and get them use to the routine, it will make life easier for you. Also, initially they may not go to sleep right away. I made sure my twins were in the bed by 8:00 pm every night, sleepy or not. Sometimes they would be there talking to each other but eventually they would fall asleep. Routine, routine, routine..get them on a routine and pretty soon, they will be sleep on their own by 8:30 even if you miss a night of reading to them. But you have got to get them on a routine or you will not have any rest. Try it and let me know after about a month how things are going.

Hi C., if he says he's scared you need to find out what he's scared of. If it's the usual "monsters" then give him a small (colored) squirt bottle filled w/ water. Put "Monster Spray" or something to that effect on the outside and tell him it will get rid of monsters forever.
I did this with my daughter and it only took a week before the monsters never came back.
I hope this helps!

M.

my 4.5 year old does this, but as my baby is waking still too, it doesn't bother me much. sometimes she comes into our bed, sometimes she doesn't. we just take it as it goes, but if it is really bothering you, there are options. Have you read the no cry sleep solution for toddlers and preschoolers? It might help. Have you thought about putting a cot in your room for awhile? Maybe then at least you'd get enough good nights sleep that you could deal with it better. I hope it gets better. Remember he will get over this, there aren't 14 year olds who can't sleep without their mommy.

K.

Good Morning C.. Do your boys sleep in the same room? If it were me C. every time he comes to your room walk him back to his. Tuck him in again give him kisses, say good night see you in the morning and leave. Every time!!
If he says he is scared, let him know there is nothing in your home to be afraid of. Tell him to think of fun nice things while he closes his eyes, bunnie rabbits, butterflies, rainbows, fluffy clouds. Anything to get his mind off of being scared. I did this with our eldest before his brother was born and when his brother was still in the bassinet with us, if he had a bad dream or something.

Whatever you tell him to think about or how ever many times he comes to your room, Take Him Back to His. Big Boys sleep in their own beds.

You'll still be tired I am afraid until he Gets it. But he will. So hang in there Mom and Dad.

God Bless and Praying for a Deep, restful, refreshing sleep for all of you.
K. Nana of 5

I have twin boys myself. About the age of 4 one of them went through something very similar. I don't know if your boys share a bedroom but my boys did and still do at the age of 8. I would walk mine back to his room and he would get in bed with his brother. Eventually he stopped coming to our room and just got in bed with his brother. I don't know if it will work for you, but as a full-time working mom I needed sleep and so do you! They still come to our room once in awhile. On those nights they get to climb on up and sleep with mom and dad, but believe me it happens way less than I would like now! I miss my "little snugglers". Good luck!

I have no advice because I'm in the same boat with 5year old twin girls. We'll go good for a couple of weeks, something will happen and we are right back at square one. So, I'm eager to hear what others say.

I am sure you will not want to hear this but I had 4 sons. The youngest is 26 now. All of them from 4-5 would do like your son. They would go to sleep in their bed but wake up in the night and come in our bed. I also worked full time. I tried to make them go to sleep in their bed I had two that would sleep on the floor by the bed if not let in bed I just gave up and let them in bed because I wanted to get some sleep. At 7-8 they all decided they were to big to sleep with Mom and that ended that. It was just to tiring to fight about it every night when I had to work. Just enjoy them they all grow out of this. Mother of 4 boys grandmother of 10.