I've never had a baby sleep 12 hrs straight... not 10 hrs or even 8 hrs. I've heard of this happening, it just never happened for us. I LOVED my newborn babies, I just never figured out how to do it right! I'm still waiting for our "babies" to sleep through the night and it's driving me crazy! They're two and four... beyond old enough to be sleeping on their own. Coleman always seems to want a drink in the middle of the night. Giving in avoids the screaming and chance of waking Caden up. Bad cycle. Caden was doing pretty good, then we took the rails off his crib. I figured he was old enough to be potty trained, we could do away with the crib. Now, he thinks that he needs to get in bed with us every night. He's smart to go to his daddy's side of the bed- it's a free ticket in every night.
If there's one thing I hate more than being woken up, it's kids in OUR bed. I can't stand them taking my space. Jim knows this and quietly takes Caden to the spare bed most of the time. So, now I'm losing my husband to the spare bed and waking up to deal with kids. For some reason, sleep is so much better in mom and dad's room. Either on the floor or in the bed, it doesn't matter. Something has to change- soon. I'll take any suggestions.
4 comments:
I won't bore you with stories of my kids having my "sleep" gene, but I have heard that reward works for behavior modification (can you see I almost minored in psych?). Anyway, find something they love - a toy, a place, etc. and have a sticker board - for every night they stay in their bed they get a sticker and get that much closer to their reward.
Shiela,
Ok,this is a horrible way to do this but when your sleep deprived like you are with the boys which are the same in age that Hannah and Elijah were apart from each other, we put a small tv in their room with a vcr and played their favorite video's like blue's clue's, spiderman in your case etc... also I did a lot of putting them back in their own beds and making them cry it out if they got to a point were I felt ok, this is enough! I know I am such a mean mom but after 4 kids you do what you got to do to get by!!! Plus sucker's are always a good bribe! Good Luck, Cori
This happened a little while with my kids as well. I would put a sippy cup with water beside Coleman's bed. If he comes into your room, remind him that his water is beside his bed. I would tell him to have a drink and go back to bed, don't get up and put him back in bed, let him do it on his own.
With Caden, I would just tell him to go back to bed. That is what I did with my kids. Don't get up and put him in his bed, he needs to learn that he's not going to get his way by having you or Jim get up and do something with him. I think that it is attention and security he is seeking, but he has to learn that he is not going to control you guys in this way to get it.
I think that before you try this, sitting down and having a little talk the night before you start would be good to let him know that he needs to not get up. Then maybe you could let him know that he will be rewarded somehow in the morning if he obeys. (checks, or stickers on a chart or whatever.)
Postive reinforcement backed with consitency and firmness always works! This phase didn't last long with my kids,( a couple of nights) There is hope!
This happened a little while with my kids as well. I would put a sippy cup with water beside Coleman's bed. If he comes into your room, remind him that his water is beside his bed. I would tell him to have a drink and go back to bed, don't get up and put him back in bed, let him do it on his own.
With Caden, I would just tell him to go back to bed. That is what I did with my kids. Don't get up and put him in his bed, he needs to learn that he's not going to get his way by having you or Jim get up and do something with him. I think that it is attention and security he is seeking, but he has to learn that he is not going to control you guys in this way to get it.
I think that before you try this, sitting down and having a little talk the night before you start would be good to let him know that he needs to not get up. Then maybe you could let him know that he will be rewarded somehow in the morning if he obeys. (checks, or stickers on a chart or whatever.)
Postive reinforcement backed with consitency and firmness always works! This phase didn't last long with my kids,( a couple of nights) There is hope!
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