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How can I get my almost 4 year old to sleep in her own bed?!!! New baby coming!
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Carleysmom posted:
I am so overwhelmed right now. I'm excited and I'm feeling guilty all at the same time. My daughter will be 4 in a week and a half and she has become much more clingy that ever before since she found out she is going to be a big sister. I am 10 weeks along. She talks about being a big sister constantly and acts excited but the issue I am having now is that my husband and I cannot get her to stay in her own bed. We have tried just about everything. I even brought her bed into our bedroom so she could be right next to us but in her big girl bed and she will not stay in it. I can't have her sleeping with us much longer. I feel so bad.. Plus I'm feeling guilty that she is not going to be the "only" one anymore. I know it will all be okay and this is a common feeling but eek. Honestly I would appreciate any thoughts anyone has on getting her to sleep in her own bed. I don't know what to do.

Thank you in advance!!
5 Replies |Watch This Discussion | Report This| Share this:How can I get my almost 4 year old to sleep in her own bed?!!! New baby coming!I am so overwhelmed right now. I'm excited and I'm feeling guilty all at the same time. My daughter will be 4 in a week and a half and she has become much more clingy that ever before since she found out she is going to be a big sister. I am 10 weeks along. She talks about being a big sister constantly and acts excited but the issue I am having now is that my husband and I cannot get her to stay in her own bed. We have tried just about everything. I even brought her bed into our bedroom so she could be right next to us but in her big girl bed and she will not stay in it. I can't have her sleeping with us much longer. I feel so bad.. Plus I'm feeling guilty that she is not going to be the "only" one anymore. I know it will all be okay and this is a common feeling but eek. Honestly I would appreciate any thoughts anyone has on getting her to sleep in her own bed. I don't know what to do. <br><br>Thank you in advance!!
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tlkittycat1968 responded:
How about this? Every time she comes to your bed, quietly get up a put her back in her bed. Yes, this means for a few nights you may not get much sleep but after a bit, she'll learn that she has to stay in her bed.

Or this? Start a sticker chart and every night she stays in her bed, she gets a sticker. When she gets a certain number of stickers, she gets a treat. Gradually increase the number of stickers it takes to get a treat. If she goes to your room, her stickers start from 1 again.
Pround mommy to PJ (5) and Kylee (3).
Report This| Share this:How can I get my almost 4 year old to sleep in her own bed?!!! New baby coming!How about this? Every time she comes to your bed, quietly get up a put her back in her bed. Yes, this means for a few nights you may not get much sleep but after a bit, she'll learn that she has to stay in her bed.<br /> <br />Or this? Start a sticker chart and every night she stays in her bed, she gets a sticker. When she gets a certain number of stickers, she gets a treat. Gradually increase the number of stickers it takes to get a treat. If she goes to your room, her stickers start from 1 again.
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Carleysmom replied to tlkittycat1968's response:
I really like the sticker idea!! She is obsessed with stickers right now so that might be really effective with her.

Can I ask you a question. I see you have two little ones. How did you transition your oldest into idea and the fact they aren't going to be the "baby" anymore? I'm afraid my daughter is going to have a hard time with this. Even though she is excited I'm afraid she will be very jealous.

Thanks so much!
Report This| Share this:How can I get my almost 4 year old to sleep in her own bed?!!! New baby coming!I really like the sticker idea!! She is obsessed with stickers right now so that might be really effective with her.<br><br>Can I ask you a question. I see you have two little ones. How did you transition your oldest into idea and the fact they aren't going to be the "baby" anymore? I'm afraid my daughter is going to have a hard time with this. Even though she is excited I'm afraid she will be very jealous. <br><br>Thanks so much!
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QTpie2009 responded:
I am very familiar with your situation as my DS has been doing this for almost 2 years now. I've posted on here about it too. He is getting better though. Have you ever asked her why she doesn't stay in her own bed? I'm sure every reason has a different answer of how to handle it. My DS says there are monsters in his room. We have tried EVERYTHING- nightlights, dreamlight pillow, stuffed animal, "monster spray", lava lamp, leaving the hallway light on, etc. He would get so worked up and crying, not wanting to stay in his bed, that sometimes he would puke . When he does stay in there, I really praise him and make it a big deal, and also make a point to tell people while he's present so it makes him feel proud. I let him sleep with my husband's big LED flashlight and he thinks it's cool. Good luck!
Report This| Share this:How can I get my almost 4 year old to sleep in her own bed?!!! New baby coming!I am very familiar with your situation as my DS has been doing this for almost 2 years now. I've posted on here about it too. He is getting better though. Have you ever asked her why she doesn't stay in her own bed? I'm sure every reason has a different answer of how to handle it. My DS says there are monsters in his room. We have tried EVERYTHING- nightlights, dreamlight pillow, stuffed animal, "monster spray", lava lamp, leaving the hallway light on, etc. He would get so worked up and crying, not wanting to stay in his bed, that sometimes he would puke <img src="http://img.webmd.com/community/images/frown.gif" align="top" border="0">. When he does stay in there, I really praise him and make it a big deal, and also make a point to tell people while he's present so it makes him feel proud. I let him sleep with my husband's big LED flashlight and he thinks it's cool. Good luck!
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tlkittycat1968 replied to Carleysmom's response:
My DS was only 2 when DD was born. We just kept talking up that he was going to be a big brother. We'd already transitioned him to a toddler bed because we needed his crib for DD. He's a pretty easy-going kid so we didn't really have any problems.
Pround mommy to PJ (5) and Kylee (3).
Report This| Share this:How can I get my almost 4 year old to sleep in her own bed?!!! New baby coming!My DS was only 2 when DD was born. We just kept talking up that he was going to be a big brother. We'd already transitioned him to a toddler bed because we needed his crib for DD. He's a pretty easy-going kid so we didn't really have any problems.
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Carleysmom replied to QTpie2009's response:
She claims she is "scared" or she just whines and says she wants to be "with us". I try to explain to her that she is a big girl and big girls sleep in their big girl beds. We have done everything (minus the "monster spray") since she hasn't brought up monsters but that is really cute. I've noticed lately too, when I go downstairs to get stuff around before work in the morning and she wakes up and I'm not right next to her she FREAKS out and starts yelling for me or my husband. With this fear of "being left" I am really worried about her starting preschool as well. I hope preschool will break her from that habit but the sleeping habit is about to do me in. I do not know what to do anymore. She will get so worked up she will throw up as well and then I feel terrible. The few nights she does make it in her bed I tell everyone so she can feel like a big girl.. I'm just at a loss right now. Especially since she has been the only one for 4 years.
Report This| Share this:How can I get my almost 4 year old to sleep in her own bed?!!! New baby coming!She claims she is "scared" or she just whines and says she wants to be "with us". I try to explain to her that she is a big girl and big girls sleep in their big girl beds. We have done everything (minus the "monster spray") since she hasn't brought up monsters but that is really cute. I've noticed lately too, when I go downstairs to get stuff around before work in the morning and she wakes up and I'm not right next to her she FREAKS out and starts yelling for me or my husband. With this fear of "being left" I am really worried about her starting preschool as well. I hope preschool will break her from that habit but the sleeping habit is about to do me in. I do not know what to do anymore. She will get so worked up she will throw up as well and then I feel terrible. The few nights she does make it in her bed I tell everyone so she can feel like a big girl.. I'm just at a loss right now. Especially since she has been the only one for 4 years.
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