While I was pregnant I wrote a blog about my six-year-old who suddenly refused to sleep in her own bed.
Well, over the last few months several of you with sleepless kids wrote me asking if I ever found a solution to the problem. Including "Sam". She wrote:
"... I'm pregnant, expecting this fall, and also have a three year old right now.
My oldest just started 1st grade a few weeks ago, and is always a sound sleeper. But the last few nights she's been coming into our bedroom asking to sleep with us, or on the couch, or saying "my bed isn't comfortable" I am a stay at home .... do you think maybe she feels like she isn't getting the attention she use too.... and the adjustment to school....? Anyways I wondered if you got any suggestions from your below article from anybody??
Thanks for your help. "
Well Sam, I never did receive any suggestions from parents. But I did surf the internet and found some suggestions from other parents and various "experts".
The reason kiddo won't sleep? Some say it could be stress, or concern about the arrival of a new brother or sister. How to handle this? Well...
Some parents suggest playing soft music or a story book tape to lull your kid to sleep. (Sounds too easy, I'm sceptical.)
Others suggest parents just locking the kid out of the room. (Sounds a little cruel to me, but I'm generally a pushover.)
And one "expert" suggested gently taking kiddo back to his or her own room and placing him back in bed. (Really? What if the kid has a meltdown? Since when are six-year-olds that rational?)
Luckily, my daughter just decided to stay in her own room once the baby came. In fact, she even tends to shut her door when her little brother starts squawking in the middle of the night.
Ashley, ever the pragmatist, has figured out that it ain't her problem... and she's not dealing with it.
Wish I had more suggestions for you. But if anyone out there has more suggestions for me, feel free to email.
