[fooled once]

Originally Posted by 2sure

I lived this. I was a single mom when my daughter was young so it was nice to have her sleep with me. What a disservice I did to us both! When it became inconvenient for her to sleep with me, it was too late. She was unable to go to sleep alone. Each night I would have to read her many books, then lay down with her until she fell asleep, then sneak out. She would wake up and the whole thing started all over.

Finally when she was 4/5 it had to stop. I read a bunch of books and chose a path that was very difficult but very successful quickly. I put her to bed, I read for 10 minutes, I left the room and shut the door. She got up &cried and beat on the door. For 30 minutes, then I went back in and comforted her and left again. She cried, trashed her room, and beat on the door for an hour. I went back in and did it again. Same thing until about 2 am. For 3 nights. It was hell.

After that, I guess she decided it wasnt worth the bother and that I wasnt going to give up. When she would wake in the night she didnt bother to get up, she just used the bathroom and went back to her bed.

I dont have much parenting advice, but I can tell you this worked. Never had a problem again, she stopped being afraid of the dark, she started to enjoy reading to herself if she couldnt sleep.

Me too - except mine was a son and I finally broke him of it at 8!!! (when I remarried)

or duck tape

[fooled once]

I heard the exact opposite about doors to kids rooms. I heard they were to always be shut incase there was a fire, the kids were 'safer' from smoke in their room (when the fire was in other areas of the house)

[sb129]

Originally Posted by fooled once

I heard the exact opposite about doors to kids rooms. I heard they were to always be shut incase there was a fire, the kids were 'safer' from smoke in their room (when the fire was in other areas of the house)

I heard this too.

To shut the door, but not lock it.

My two week old daughter sleeps in her own room, and has done since she came home from the hospital.

It was hard to do at first, but hopefully it will mean we don't have to deal with this problem in the future.