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It’s not a bold statement to suggest that a lot of moms don’t look forward to bedtime. Especially when you have young children that don’t sleep very well.
A big problem for lots of kids is that they don’t like sleeping alone. This isn’t much of an issue when they’re really little, in fact, it can be pretty cute. But, you know that they have to sleep alone at some point, and getting them to do so can be difficult.
Difficult, but not impossible! Today, I have a few simple steps you can follow that will help your child sleep alone:
Ease Them Into It Gradually
The worst thing you can do is make a snap decision and just tell your child they have to sleep alone starting tonight. This is a really easy way to get them crying and guarantee they have a poor night's sleep. Instead, you have to ease them into it gradually. Sit down with them before bedtime and tell them that they’re getting older and need to start sleeping alone. Then, you continue to sleep with them for a few nights before slowly easing them out. Start by lying in bed with them until they fall asleep, then going out of their room. Then, move to a chair by their bed, so they get used to being in bed without you. Finally, you’ll be able to just stand by their bed and kiss them goodnight as they sleep alone with ease. It’s a process, you need to take things slow, and it will all work out for the best.
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Give Them Something To Cuddle
After sleeping with you for a while, your child will become accustomed to having someone next to them at night. So, when you make them sleep alone, they find it hard to adjust and feel a bit lonely. What you can do to solve this issue is give them something to cuddle. Things like baby blankets and soft toys can replace you in their bed. It helps comfort them and gives them something to hold to that will help them sleep. As they get older, they’ll gradually grow out of these things too, and can sleep entirely on their own without any need for a crutch.
Tire Them Out Before Bed
It’s much easier for your child to sleep alone when they’re so tired they can’t argue against it. Try and put a child to sleep that’s fully awake and they’ll put up a stern fight and start trying to get you to stay. But, if you tire them out, they’ll doze off, and you can leave them alone. The easiest way to tire out your kids is by reading bedtime stories. It helps them relax and get nice and comfy in bed before falling asleep without any hassle and without needing you to stay the night.
You don’t need to spend every night with your child for them to get a good sleep. Follow these simple steps, and I promise you will see huge changes. They’ll be able to sleep alone, and you get to sleep in peace once more!
