Advice For Getting Child To Sleep In Own Bed.

[Patsy33]

My 7 year old grandson is driving his parents mad by not wanting to sleep in his own bed. He just gets so upset and sometimes violent when ' tried' to make him sleep in his own bed. They more often than not have him in with them to keep the peace and to get some sleep! As he's getting a big boy now, very squashed! He's usually a lovely boy through the day. By the way, he's an only child. Any advice or previous experience of this please??

[anneasquith]

I don't think this is an uncommon problem, I have no experience, but look forward to seeing any helpful posts .

[Buenchico]

This might help:
https://alphamom.com/parenting/young-child/child-wont-sleep-in-own-bed/

[Patsy33]

Thank you for link Buenchico. I asked him a little while ago if he gets frightened, his answer was ,. "No Nanny, I get lonely and want to be with mummy & daddy"

[mazie]

Do you family have any pets Patsy?

[gness]

My niece had the same problem, Patsy.....don't know if you approve but she used bribery....
Let her daughter choose ten.....I think ...but any number....little gifts. Pound and charity shops.....
These were wrapped and hidden and if Topsy slept nicely in her own bed she received one gift in the morning......if not one went to the charity shop....
Sounds cruel now I've typed it but it was made into a fun game to break the habit....x

[Patsy33]

No, Mazie they have no pets but he'd like one! I think parents worried about expense. I've got a cat and he's very good with him. Parents are getting married in eight weeks time so money tight.

[Patsy33]

Thanks for that gness, what a good idea! I'll put that to his parents. Mind you, they Do a lot of bribing already....

[mazie]

A rescue cat wouldn't cost you anything and to feed one cat wouldn't be too expensive. Would be better than getting a kitten. He would have a partner in crime which would be lovely. I don't know as I'm the eldest of 3 but I imagine it's tough be an only child

[Cloverjo]

Might be worth an idea to put him to bed in his own room, after a bath, have a story, and then mum or dad stays upstairs just doing boring things like folding up washing or something. Just so he knows he's not missing out on anything exciting downstairs, and that someone's nearby.

At age 7 it's not going to be a quick fix, but they need to start and carry on being firm if they really want to stop it.

[mazie]

Awww Look at these Beauties.....

https://www.scottishspca.org/rehome/?animal-type=Cats

[mikey4444]

I am not really qualified to give any advice here but a clue to this behaviour might very well be found in the penultimate sentence above.

To my mind this child should been weaned off sleeping in the parents bed a long time ago.

[Islay]

I agree with mazie - a wee cat sleeping in your bed is a very good incentive to sleep in your own bed - after all you don't want the cat to get scared now do you?
Also not expensive at all a bag of litter from Tesco is £1.59 and will do 3 litter changes for 1 cat, a box of 40 sachets of felix food is a tenner if fed with biscuits that's 20 days food.

[gness]

He may well have been, Mikey....as was my son ....then something happens and they want to creep back into the parent's bed...

And if you don't know why it's a pain to cope with.

[mikey4444]

Yes....good idea....get that cat !

[Patsy33]

Mazie, I think he would love a cat. Perhaps after the wedding, when more relaxed, they might consider a rescue cat.

Yes Mikey, it will be difficult as it's gone on for so long. He did go in his bed a few months ago but would weak in early hours and shout, "Mummy, can I come in the family bed" I thought that was so funny at the time...

My mother used to say an only child is a lonely child.

[Cloverjo]

Erm...what if the cat doesn't want to sleep in the boy's bed?

[Islay]

I slept in my parents room until I was 5 and a half!! It was a dog that lured me out in the end!

[Islay]

Lol cloverjo I have never known a cat not want to sleep on someones bed!
Just say 'no you cannot sleep on this bed' and the bleedin cat will be there!

[Cloverjo]

That 'only child - lonely child' thing is so old-hat now.
My son is an only child, and while I had problems with his sleep when he was very young, he was not lonely.

I know other only children in my extended family who are also very happy, confident and not lonely.

[Patsy33]

Depends on the child's character I suppose Cloverjo.