problems sleeping in a bed

PinkandYellow

Sat, Aug 30 2008, 4:25 pm

I moved my 3 yo from a crib to bed two weeks ago. same room, same way of sleeping, lights out and door closed, nothing different. at first it took me over two hours to get him to sleep but b"H now the time it takes is much less. however he is waking up in middle of the night and coming into our room. refusing to go back to sleep, keeps on coming out, he can do this for 2 hrs. wants dh to lay in bed with him or he wants to comeinto one of our beds. everyone is tired, he has been sleeping lter to make up missed sleep time and sometimes passes out midday for hour. last night after 2 hrs middle of night trying to get him back to bed I put a pillow and blanket on floor inbetween our beds and after laying there playing for over half hour he fell asleep and slept until 11:30 am (yes, 11:30!! shock

). he is starting gan on monday and we can't continue like this. I think he is scared but don't know of waht as nothing has changed and there really isn't anything to be scared of. I did catch him twice trying to climb into the babys crib adn think maybe he wants to go back there but obviously can't so please hlep me with ideas. thank you. sorry spelling so bad so so so tired. off to bed now for me.

PIP

Sun, Aug 31 2008, 12:17 am

It's a new experience for them. I go through it every year with a different kid. But my I usually switch them to a bed when they start climbing out of the crib and want to sleep with the big girls. (about 2- my younger one is actually not even two yet, but insists!)

You can try incentives. Whoever sleeps in the bed gets to take some books to read in bed. Then put a children's safety gate by the door to "lock" him in without the door closed so you can see what's going on in the room. This way he learns that he cannot come out of his room. It's bedtime. Then the next day, Wow you slept in your own bed! Here's a sticker just for you!

Any kind of change takes time for them to get used to, in time he'll learn that bedtime is bed time. Good luck!

happymom

Sun, Aug 31 2008, 12:53 am

kids at that age can have scary dreams or start to be scared of the dark... ask him how hes feeling and maybe come up with things that can help him feel more comfortable. or maybe you can have a sleeping bag or something near your bed (or outside your room...) for him if he feels he needs to be close to you...

whatever works but maybe you can ucome up with ideas together that he feels can help him feel more safe and sleep better