Re-Claiming Your Bed: How to Move a Toddler Out

As any first-time parent would be, I was very nervous and overprotective of my new baby. I was always worried that he would stop breathing during the night, or that he would need me and I wouldn’t hear him crying in another room, so the obvious solution at the time was to have him sleep with me. Well, as anyone with a baby knows, they grow, and the sleeping arrangement needs a change by the age of two or three (at least). Then comes the tricky part.

Poor little sweethearts… they’ve gotten used to sleeping all snuggly with mom and / or dad. They’ve become accustomed to having you right there to soothe them after a nightmare or to help them to the bathroom. Can you blame them for not wanting to sleep in their own rooms? I know I couldn’t. Though your intentions were good, you’ve found yourself in a pickle. What are you going to do?  Here is what I did... and it worked.

First of all, (if you haven’t already), introduce your child to the room where they will eventually be sleeping. Fill it with toys and other pleasant things that they like. Let them have a hand in the way it’s decorated, if possible. Make it a friendly, inviting, cozy, comfy place to be. Then encourage them to spend time there (even if it’s just play time).

Next, when you feel you’ve made some progress with that, tell your child that one day they’ll have to learn to sleep in their own room. Then explain that you’re going to help them practice that. You should start building a bedtime ritual at this point. Read them a story in their bed, then gradually move to leaving them alone to “practice” falling asleep in there, even if it’s only a minute at a time and with the lights on. Gradually keep increasing the amount of time they practice, and build up to turning the lights off (using a night light helps in most cases).