How To Teach 5 Year Old To Settle To Sleep On Her Own??

[Cantthinkof12use]

Hi everyone, so we are having issues with my daughter just turned 5 with global developmental delay.

A while ago something woke her and she was scared so we let her come in bed with us. However she now wakes (I suspect out of habit) every night to come into our bed. Basically she calls me in the night and to avoid lack of sleep, I just bring her into our bed.

As much as I love her cuddles in bed, she is getting too big and it's becoming uncomfortable so I have recently started trying to break this habit. When she wakes and calls, I go into her and explain she must stay in her own bed which she is fine with, but the problem is she can't get herself back to sleep so we spend a couple of hours in the night with me keep getting in and out of bed to respond to her calling for her to tell me she can't sleep. If I ignore her she just gets very distressed. If she comes in with us she goes straight back to sleep.

Help!!! Any tips on how to crack this please?? Thanks all.

[woofgang]

Is there room to put her bed in your bedroom as a temporary measure? have you got a health professional link you could get advice from?

[JoolsTwo]

Could you let her go back to sleep in your bed then carry her back to her own bed when she is asleep? Or would she wake again?

[Old_Geezer]

Thoughts from a non-parent, just be kind but firm and tell her big 5 year old girls have a bed to themselves, and guide her back to it. It seems you wish to do this anyway. In fairness be sure she isn't in need of this reassurance of being in bed with you for now, but I suspect you either encourage her back to her own bed sooner, or have bigger problems with it as time goes on. She'll learn to sleep after a few nights. she'll be too tired not to make the change. Worst comes to worst you can leave bedroom doors open so she knows you aren't far away.

[Sycamore3House]

Have you tried getting into bed with her until she has gone back to sleep then go back to your own bed.

[B00]

Guess im the only softy here, lol as I'd personally let her sleep with you for as long as she wants.

All too soon they grow up and away from you- treasure those cuddles whilst they still given so freely!

(I'm now off to hug a tree....)

[sherrardk]

I'm with Boo on this one - both the things slept with us until they were gone four and we occassionally wake up with thing 2 in the bed now (and he is going to be 6 quite soon). I like my sleep too much to make a fuss about it.

[Cantthinkof12use]

Thanks all, have to admit I was so tired last night I couldn't face the battle and she ended up with us at 4.30!

[belrec]

it is up to you, if you are happy to have her in bed then whats the problem?

If you feel she should be in her own bed you will need to tackle it. Have been through similar with my girl she is now 8.

We simply took her back to her own bed when she had fallen asleep then made it clear in the morning that she could come for a quick cuddle if something scared her but that she would be going back to her own bed.

There were a few tears and tantrums but if you are firm (not cross) and explain that she needs to learn to do it herself then eventually she will get it.

We always try to explain why we are doing something which i think helps them understand and think through it themselves.

Good luck x