This article is brought to you by Tanya K.
A bedroom should be an oasis of calm after a day negotiating the frantic adult world of traffic, deadlines, bills and all the other demands on our limited time. It’s a space in which we relax and take some time for ourselves before going to sleep, knowing that soon the alarm will rouse us to join the rush again.
That is, however, unless something else wakes us first. Peering into the gloom, we hear a little voice and feel a tiny hand tugging at the covers. Whether there’s a monster under the bed or they simply can’t get to sleep, children up and down the country will be tottering from their own rooms to climb into their parents’ beds.
For some parents what starts as a cuddly treat can become a source of concern. Experts are uncertain about the long-term effects that sharing a bed can have on a child. Several long-term studies show no serious effects either way, but the American Academy of Pediatrics suggests that sleeping alongside parents can be dangerous for children. Critics have dismissed this as being down to such controllable factors such as intoxication or deep sleep disorders, but these results and the impact on a parents’ relationship have still led many to seek a way of encouraging their child back into their own bed.
Establishing a routine from early infancy will teach your child how to cope in the night. By sleeping in a cot that keeps them from getting out and waking you, they will learn how to deal with darkness and being alone without needing to leave their room. The main reason children struggle to sleep are nightmares or anxieties about school or home life, and while these need to be dealt with, it’s also important that they learn to sleep in spite of them.
Making a child’s bedroom an appealing and peaceful place will make them want to spend time there. Shop kids’ beds from Littlewoods and get them involved by letting them pick out fun wallpaper. This will show your child that it is their special place, while adding a night light can also benefit children who are nervous in the dark.
If other methods have failed slow withdrawal can be successful, particularly for slightly older children. On the first night, sit on the end of the child’s bed until they fall asleep. The next night, sit a little further away. Gradually increase the distance until they can fall asleep without you there.
The key with all this advice is to be supportive and calm, and not to become angry with your daughter or son since this will only agitate them further. When you potty train a child, you reward their good days rather than punishing their accidents so adopt the same approach here. Praise them for being grown up when they stay in bed, and don’t embarrass them for being babyish when they say they’re afraid to sleep alone. With patience and time, you can both get a good night’s sleep in your separate rooms.
Leave a Reply