2 Year Old Daughter That Still Sleeps on Her Parents Bed

Hi C., that is a dilema. I had that same problem for some time. In order to get my son to stay in his bed, I put a chair in his room right by his crib. When he woke and wanted me to pick him up and take him to my bed - I just sat in the chair instead and held his hand until he fell back to sleep. This is certainly NOT ideal because he would wake up constantly looking for me. So I was up all night, but he stayed in his own bed! But that is only a temporary band aid, unfortunatley. THat will keep her quiet, but what you really must do is let her have a tantrum. I learned from my sister who has 4 children about the proper way to handle this. Eventually this is what we did: When it was time for bed, I put him in his bed - gave him a big hug and kiss and told him I would see him at wake up time when the sun was up. Then I left the room. He cried hard - in 5 minutes I went back in to his room and told him to lie down and that I loved him and go to sleep - you're fine, blah blah blah... then I left the room... then in 15 minutes I went back, and so on.... It took him about 45 minutes to calm down and lie down and fall asleep. In the morning we had a celebration and told him what a big boy he was for sleeping all night by himself... It took about 3 nights total to get him use to it. Now it's great, he goes to sleep wonderfully.

I put a safety gate on my daughters bedroom door when she went to sleep. She would wake up, stand at the gate, and then eventually go back to bed. When she got in the habit of staying in bed I stopped using the gate.

Hi C.... I can relate in a way. I have a 2 1/2 yr old son that refuses to sleep by himself. I don't know if he just needs to feel close to me or what. I have ended up putting a full size bed in his room so when I have to sleep with him we have space. My husband doesn't help with him at night. Basically when he(my hubby) goes to sleep thats it. So I am the one having to deal with my son. My son had sleep apena when he was born and I guess it's my fault he got used to me being there to make sure he was ok. I wish you luck with your lil girl and maybe she will eventually sleep through the night.

I have to day ditto to what Jamie H said. You may be in for a couple of rough nights, but it will be so worth it when you get a good nights sleep.

I wish I could help...my almost 3 yr old won't sleep in his bed either. Nothing we've tried works. The one time he did sleep in his room was when we had a cable box in there and we kept his tv on the "sprout" channel(all PBS kids programming 24hrs/day) and he NEVER once got up during the night unless he didn't feel good. Now we've had to take the box back($$ issues) and he won't sleep in there at all even w/his tv on.

You should have a talk with your Mom and let her know that your daughter is going through a phase with difficulty sleeping. Let her know you and your husband are going to take this week to help her get into a better sleep pattern.
If she wakes her up, she wakes her up, but this will only be for a few nights.

You should have a consistent routine when you are putting your daughter down for bed. I find children sleep better after a bath and fresh pajamas and bed linens. When it is time to get ready for bed, you should talk with your daughter and tell her it's time to get ready for bedtime! :) Be sure to make this a fun and happy time that you spend together, so she looks forward to it each evening. when you enter her room do the exact same thing each time, so she know's what to expect. You may want to play some bedtime music after you say your prayers, then say goodnight and leave the room. I like to have some soft light in my child's room, and although I have a baby monitor, I also like to leave the door slightly open. Make sure the room is not too hot or too cold. If it is comfortable for you, it should be for your little girl.

When she wakes up in the night, wait before rushing into the room to see if she can calm herself back to sleep. It is very important to give children the opportunity to manage their own emotional needs. After 5-10 minutes she's not back to sleep, go in and check on her. If she is standing in her crib crying, reach for her and pick her up, hold her close and tell her everything is okay and rub her back and offer her kisses on her head. Sway back and forth with her and show her love until she is calm. Tell her it is time to go back to sleep. Let her know you are going to lay her back down and make sure she has her favorite blanket and sleep toy. Play the sleep music again and leave the room. She may cry for a few minutes, but eventually she will go back to sleep.
each night you need to take a few minutes longer responding to her cries, and you need to go from picking her up, to helping her settle back into her crib (rubbing her back or tummy, being soothing, but leave her in her crib) until she's sleeping through the night.

If on the rare occasion you bring her to your bed, tell her you are bringing her to your bed for ust a few minutes. Sit up on your bed (do not lie down with her), and hold her soothing her. After a few minutes, tell her it's time to go back to her bed, and proceed accordingly.

I hope this helps. Keep me posted on how it goes.

I would just do whatever i needed to do for my child no matter who it wakes up. I am very sure your mother will understand. It is hard to break them from our beds, but at least she is sleeping in there for over 5 hours. that is great!!!! I would try to lay with her in her bed when she wakes up until she falls back to sleep. Good luck.

I know how aggravating it is having a child in bed. I am going through same thing with my 5-year old daughter. But just to give you a little hope. My 13-year old daughter did the same thing until she was 3. Then one night she told me she was a big girl and wanted to sleep in her big bed, and she slept there from then on. This is what I do with Angel the 5-year old ---I take her to bed with me {because she will not go to sleep in her on bed} then when she goes to sleep I put her in her on bed. Anyhow I wish you the best of luck. lol

hi, im actually going through the same thing. my 3 yr old has been in our bed since birth and with a new baby who i sometimes need to lay next to me at night, u could imagine how crowded it can get even in our queen bed. both our children have their own rooms but neither sleep in them. after we bought my 3 yr old his thomas bed he falls asleep in it but by 12 is heading to our room. if i just put him back he goes right to sleep but wakes right back up shortly after and comes back. Being that Im already sleep deprived with the 3 month old and am usually feeding when my son comes to our room it always ends up the same way...him in our bed until I get up with them in the morning. Im sure if i just added more effort my son would eventually stay in his room but since hes been right next to us his whole life, when he is in his bed asleep me or my husband normally feel anxiety of him being so far away and end up going to get him anyway. It helped my son when he first got his room that he had things that he loved in it, like his train table, his tv and playstation so that he gets a movie while hes trying to fall asleep and a spongebob night light. I plan on adding more effort to keeping him in his bed all night and hope for the best. I hope you have the same amount of luck.

Perhaps explain to your mother what Kylee is doing and that you're trying to fix it. Explain that Kylee needs to learn to sleep in her own bed all night instead of waking up in the middle of the night and coming to sleep with you. This is probably causing her to lose a little shut-eye, as well, so getting her to stay in her room is essential to her getting a good night's rest. Try walking her back to her room and putting her back in bed with minimal to no talking. Every time she comes in your room, do the same thing. I'm sure after a little while she will get tired of the rotine and stay in her bed. It might be tiring for you, but eventually it will pay off. Good Luck!!!!

Buy the No Cry Sleep Solution Book! It has great ideas...
one that i remember was to reward them with something everynight that she stays in her bed all night..like a sticker on a chart and then she gets to do something fun with you over the weekend.

My 15 month old is waking up at night and we bring her to bed to get some sleep..but I think it's her molars that are bothering her.

Hi! C.,
Been there done that. Don't give in or you'll have an eight year old sleeping with you soon. There are several things to do. 1. there are noise filtering machines that you can get for mom...the kind doctors offices have. 2. Make the bed a fun, safe place to be. A lot of soft, washable stuffed friends. Tell your daughter they are there so she's not alone when she wakes up. 3. If you are christians- or believe in God, now is the time to teach about angels and God's protection. Put a picture of angels next to the bed...the one of the angel with the two children is a good one.Let her pick her own angel. 4. pick her up and put her back in her bed, reassuring her that Mommy and Daddy are right in a room near her. You can hear her and she can hear you if she needs you. 5. Create a fantasy room- such as a princess in her castle theme. Or whatever your child loves the most. 6. let her put her bed where she feels most safe and close to you. Maybe near the door. 7. tire her out with alot of activity during the day, but no stimuli at bed time. 8. Change her pattern of sleep. Get her to fall asleep a little bit later. 9. Give her something of the parent that she snuggles the most when she crawls into bed with. Something that has your scent on so she feels like she's with you. 10. Aromatherapy helped my son. There are scent devices that you can get at your local store. Vanilla and lavender are very relaxing. Sounds silly, but they work. Hope I helped you. T. D ____@____.com

Okay, I have 2 yearold daughter also, she use to do the same thing it was actually worse. She use to go to bed around 8 and then wake up at 12 and want to sleep with us. Now I didn't mind it at all. But when you have a hubby and 2 dogs it gets cramped in your queen size bed. Now I do have some friends that do a family bed and love it. But thats a personal choice. What I did was cut her nap time shorter. Instead of 2 hours I did 45 mins and I wear her out before bed and then do a warm bath, she goes to bed around 8pm and sleeps straight until 4am or 5am then she would sleep in my bed. But what I'm trying now and its working is put him straight back into bed when he wakes up and sit beside the bed not in the bed beside it. Don't talk or look at him. Yes he will cry but he still knows your there, then he will lay down and sleep. It took my daughter 1 week do it and now she sleeps in her own bed. I hope this helps.. Oh yeah one more thing a night light also helps. Let me know what did work

K.

I have a 18 month old and what helps her get to sleep is a CD player that I put in her room and it plays about 48 minutes of classical nursey ryhmes. She loves it. If she wakes up in the middle of the night I will give her some warm milk and play the CD. I got it at Wal-Mart. I hope that this helps you.

M.

Oh goodness, well i would have a talk with my mom and explain what is happening and let her know your plans and that if you decided to let your child cry herself back to sleep or if a fit incures because you are trying to break your child of this habit it might wake her up. Im pretty sure she will understand seeing how she is in your house at the moment, just ask her to be patient with you and your parenting dilemas. As for your little girl, i would shut her door and let her cry herself back to sleep, soon enough she will get the hang of not having to be in your bed and its good for them to figure out how to soothe themselves just like when she was little.........best of luck, and maybe your mom might have some suggestions....

Have you tried just walking her back to her room and putting her back to bed? I'm assuming you have tried this. She might need some white noise to go to sleep. Everyone else is probably still up when she goes to bed, and for a while after, but when it gets quiet, she can't sleep without some kind of comfort. I made my daughter a cd of her favorite music and she listens to it every night. When she has trouble going back to sleep, I start it over. Also, do you spend a few minutes in her room til she is settled down a bit? I would try a similar routine to the first time you put her down. And, I would keep putting her back to bed, no matter how many times she gets up. Eventually, it will get easier. Good Luck! K~