Sleeping Through the Night - Taylorsville,KY

First, let me say that I'm sorry! We lived with a challenging sleeper for several years and I know what a toll it takes on you! (We still have occasional problems with our now 4 year old.)

Here is something that finally worked for us....I drew a picture of my daughter in her bed sleeping. You could take a picture of her posing in bed asleep, too. I attached the picture to another sheet of paper that had the nighttime expectations on it. Our's says, "Did I sleep all night?" and "Did I stay in my bed all night?"

I went to the local dollar store and bought enough little toys to fill a shoe box and I decorated the shoe box with ribbons and wrapping paper.

Next, I introduced the concept to my daughter. We discussed the picture and the questions. I showed her the "treasure box" and explained that, if she was able to "sleep all night" and "stay in her bed all night" (except for trips to the bathroom) she could pick something from the box in the morning.

We role-played where she was the mother and I laid in her bed and did the "wrong" things while "sleeping". I asked her if that would get me a treasure box treat? She laughed and said that it wouldn't. I then modeled the correct behavior for her so she could see what I wanted. I even modeled asking her to help me go to the bathroom and going right back to sleep in her bed so she would know that was OK to do.

Every night before bed we reviewed the questions and I mentioned the treasure box waiting for her in the morning. It worked for us! Within two nights we were sleeping soundly! We still have some periodic issues, but the treasure box isn't used any more on a regular basis. We were able to fade it out little by little and I can bring it back if we have a bad couple of nights in a row.

Yes, $1.00 a day is an expensive way to break your child of the middle of the night waking, but what would you be willing to pay for a good night's sleep?! I would have paid much more than $1.00 a day! Ha! Ha!

Sorry this was so long, but I wanted to explain the process in detail. Good luck! I hope you can find a solution soon.....you all need your rest!

Does she nap? My 3-yr-old is in the process of giving up naps. When he naps, he wakes up once and goes back to sleep if I re-tuck him in, just like you described. When he doesn't nap, he doesn't wake up. Sometimes this makes for a more frustrating late afternoon, but at least I get no interruptions at night!

Another reason could be potty training, but I was told it's too soon for them to be waking up for bathroom trips.

M., I had a similar issue when my daughter was two. She went to bed without issue, but inevitably I would wake up to her being in my bed in the middle of the night. I am a light sleeper and this disturbed my rest.

I spoke with the author of the book, "You are a better parent than you think you are". He suggested that this was probably something she was doing while not fully awake. He told me to lock her door so that she could not get out. He assured me that she would simply return to her own bed.

I was leery of locking her door, but it worked. Two nights of locking the door and no more midnight surprises.

Best wishes,

Phyl

Hi! My son is 3.5 and he still regularly comes into our bedroom in the middle of the night too. We take him back to his bed and sometimes he stays, sometimes he comes back. He is an only child and he says, "Why do I have to sleep alone and you and Daddy sleep together?" I am hoping it is a phase he will grow out of and I am just trying to be patient. We painted his room with animals(that he loves) and got fun curtains and sheets and try to make his room "his special place" that only he is allowed to sleep in. Good luck!