I have a confession to make: my 4-year-old still sleeps with my husband and I, in our bed. And it's starting to drive me nuts.
Hazel starts the night in her own bed - or rather, on her own bed, in her Disney Princess sleeping bag - but every night, without fail, she crawls in with us, usually sometime between 1 and 2 a.m. As she gets older, and her legs get longer, it's getting more and more uncomfortable to share a king-sized bed with her. Our new kitten, who has chosen to sleep nestled among the pillows at the head of the bed, has been making it hard for Hazel to fall asleep once she makes her journey across the hallway, into our room, too. In just a few short months, the bed-hopping has gone from being a cute, cozy habit of hers, to being an annoying, sleep-stealing drag.
Over at Blogging Baby, and Ikea loft bed was suggested as incentive for getting the kids out of the family bed. I found some helpful hints at MSNBC, too, as well as a comprehensive and age-appropriate "how to" list over at the Berkeley Parents Network. At our house, we've tried sticker charts, cozy new sheets and jammies, but so far, nothing's working. We're dealing with a pretty sensitive kid, too, so I really want to motivate her to keep herself in bed, rather than have to force her to stay there myself. Also noteworthy: she shares a room with her sister. Do you have any tips/suggestions on how to help? Do you have a getting-the-kid-in-her-own-bed success story to share? If so, please share in the comments. I'm definitely open to suggestions.
