Co-sleeping is a muddier issue, and the AAP has advised me not to make your choice for you.
Sometimes three or more of those locations in one night.
Our bed wasnt one of them.
Only when they had pitiful colds or ear infections did we waver.
This approach produced short-term pain.
Getting up over and over to stumble into the nursery was horrendous.
But we took the long view and determined that a kid-free bed was the ultimate goal.
By the time they were old enough to question the sleeping arrangements, they never thought to do so.
Mom and Dads bed is for Mom and Dad because thats the way its always been.
Talk Up the Transition
Generally, you find a sleeping infant where you last placed her.
A toddler is a different story.
Once your child can escape the crib, its got to go.
Keeping itcan be dangerous.
If you really, truly need something, call for us.
(We were in the next room.)
You may get out of your bed when you see sunlight in the morning.
(We hung blackout curtains over her windows.)
She was a rule follower, and that helped our cause.
Its great for jumping on and for hiding under.
A big-kid bed is spacious and soft.
Nothing beats a big-kid bed!
Hang sparkly butterflies or inflatable dinosaurs from the ceiling.
Paint the walls crazy colors.
Tack up posters and artwork.
If youre handy,build a kick-ass bed.
Whatever your kid wantswithin reasonto make her bedroom the coolest room in the house.
A room she helped design.
A room shell never want to leave.
Then go a step further.
Emphasize that within those four walls lies respite from her annoying little brother.
Her very own place to draw, to paint, to read, to store keepsakes.
A place to be alone and to build worlds of imagination.
A place to feel safe and comfortable.
A place to be at peace.
All through the night.
The middle of the night is when everything can fall apart.
For starters, get those kids good and tired.
Even when the weather is cold and dreary, look for activities that require large muscle groups.
In nice weather, threaten to assign chores if theyre reluctant to go outside and play.
Pick a bedtime and keep it sacrosanct.
It doesnt matter if theres a late birthday party or an overtime game or the popes Midnight Mass.
When its bedtime, its time for the routine.
Bath, pajamas, teeth brushing, a story and singing.
Eventually, these actions will work like Pavlovs bells and the kids will almost put themselves to bed.
When growing pains or night terrors strike, find a way to sleep in their rooms for brief periods.
Make Your Bedroom Boring
No toys.
No television, tablets or laptops.
If it can play Peppa Pig, get it gone.
If she looks around your room and declares it boring, congratulations.
Youve won the battle before its begun.
