Allowing your child to sleep in your bed during a stormy night or when he had a nightmare can quickly turn into weeks or months of sharing your bed.
Obviously, this isn’t the ideal situation. Not only do kids take up a lot more space than seems possible, but they also kick sometimes.
In all seriousness, it can be hard to sleep with kids in the bed and it makes it impossible to be romantically involved with your partner.
The good news is there are tips to get kids to sleep in their own beds.
How to Get Kids To Sleep In Their Own Beds
Let Your Child Know About the Change
If your child has been sleeping in your bed for a long time, you need to let your child know about the change and give him time to get used to the idea.
Tell him you’re going to allow him to sleep in your bed for the rest of the week, but on Friday night, he’s going to start sleeping in his own bed.
Determine Why Your Child Wants to Sleep in Your Bed
If your child has just recently wanted to start sleeping in your bed, there’s probably a hidden reason as to why. Is your child having nightmares?
Have you had a baby and your child is seeking more attention?
Determine the reason and work out the problem. Spend more one-on-one time with your child when a new baby enters the home.
Make sure he does something relaxing and happy before bed to help avoid nightmares.
Make His Bedroom Fun
Make his bedroom into a place that he wants to spend time. Choose fun bedding and pillows. Get him a new stuffed animal to sleep with.
Add fun wall decals, etc. The more fun and comforting the room is, the more likely he is to sleep in there.
Add a Nightlight
It’s very common for children to have a fear of the dark. Adding a nightlight can make it easier for your child to feel comfortable in the space.
You can even get stuffed animals and pillows that glow. Try different items until you find something that works.
Start a Chart
Last, but not least, start a chart that rewards your child for sleeping in his own bed.
For example, for each week that he sleeps in his own bed, he can get a reward. If he makes it an entire month, he’ll get a bigger prize. Eventually, he’ll start to sleep in his own bed without issue.
If you want to get your child to sleep in his own bed, you need to determine why he wants to sleep with you.
You can then address the issue. Making his bedroom fun and comfortable and adding a nightlight can also help.
Lastly, don’t be against trying a reward system.
