How do I get my VERY persistent, headstrong 3 year old to sleep in his own bed? He has always had a few challenges since he was small, which resulted in us attending the Ellen Barron sleep centre in Brisbane which worked great for about a year and a half. Several months ago I had to upgrade to a big boy as he was kept climbing out of the cot and slipped and cut his head open. Now we have transitioned into a big boy bed but he has never spent a full night in there. I am currently at the point where I put him in bed, read to him, turn off the light and lie with him for about 30-40 mins, as soon as I leave he screams for me and follows me out of the room, I put him back in bed and so this continues. Some nights he screams himself sick!!! What do I do? He has a nightlight, a beautiful bed with theme sheets he likes, his riff raff which plays sleep music, I tuck him in snug, I have done calming baths with magnesium, Lavender in the room, I have tried everything. I am even ashamed to say that I have even tried a baby latch on the door which I really dont like because he freaks and then trashes the room.
But I just need sleep. I am a single mum who has my child 100%, I’m trying to manage work on no sleep and very busy toddler. I just want a positive sleep routine, I dont promote him in my bed. He’s extremely headstrong, smart and it happens.
Please help this exhausted mumma!
1 Replies
For your own sanity/sleep just let him sleep with you. I did it with my eldest. I had people tell me it was wrong but he transitioned to his own bed himself at 5 and there was no drama. I was a single mum too and I had to do it to sleep for my own sanity. It won't be forever.