Helping a 7-year-old go to her own bed and stay there all night? (long, sorry) - Page 2

[morgainesmama]

My middle child had some sleep regression around 7, and we've talked a lot to move out of it.

I just wanted to add, though -- my children all cosleep at some point or another. Once they're 5 or so, we mostly start them in their own bed at night, but it's a rare morning that I don't have at least my 5 or 7yo (or both) in the bed with me.

They do no cosleep, ever, at their father's. Even my littlest, who was around 18mo when he started doing overnights with his dad, from my understanding was not really allowed to cosleep. They generally expect very little in terms of nurturing from their father's house, and honestly, they seem mostly ok with that.

All this to say, in two homes, with two sets of rules (he has them 2-3 nights a week) they do ok -- your daughter will also adjust.

For some reason, though, 7 seemed to be a hard age for my daughter, and sleepwise, for my son.

Is it a case of her not getting her daytime needs met, either for touch or attention? At either home?

[Snowygirl]

What about putting a TV in her room? I have one in my son's and if I turn on animal planet he zonks out to it(But still ends up in my bed sometimes, But I'm a single parent.) Good luck mama!

[ProtoLawyer]

Originally Posted by morgainesmama

Is it a case of her not getting her daytime needs met, either for touch or attention? At either home?

I have no idea what's going on at Mom's, but if her needs for touch or attention are not being met at our house, they cannot be met while at our house. She's constantly on laps, hugging, holding hands. She has nearly constant attention from at least one of us (usually my husband, often me).

As for the TV, we don't allow electronics other than music (CD player/radio) in anyone's bedroom, even our own. She's incapable of self-regulation (see: Nintendo DS), and she would be up all night watching something, or would want to hole up in there during the day and do nothing else.

Again, the last couple of nights went well--New Years went really well (she stayed up late and then crashed and slept in her room until almost 9!), the day after that there was a big loud WOOSH! from the door and a barge and a loud "I THOUGHT KNOCKING WOULD SCARE YOU SO I'M JUST COMING IN I HAD A BAD DREAM SO I'M GOING TO SLEEP WITH YOU" that resulted in my husband escorting her back to her room, a couple of minutes of "how DARE you do this to me! I have nightmares!" and that was it until morning. That morning, we explained that knocking might startle us, but barging in and yelling literally made us bolt up and yelp, so please knock.

Edit: We didn't do the camp-out at all the last couple of nights--I think she may have figured out that's not too comfortable.

She's back Friday. We'll see.