"Mama... Right Back!"

[blizzard_babe]

DS (21 months) said this to me last night. I was sitting with him as he fell asleep, when he looked up at me, pointed to the door, and said, "Mama, right back!" Normally I'll say, "Stay in bed, I'll be right back" if I'm lying/sitting with him and have to go run to the bathroom, or get a drink of water, or whatever.

So... I left, and came right back (like a minute later). He was lying there, falling asleep. Again, he told me, "Mama, right back!" I went out and didn't go back in. He woke up when DH came home from work and had to be resettled, but... he didn't want me.

I should be happy, but I feel like... what did I do that made him not want me lying with him ? I haven't always been perfectly soothing at bedtime; lying there with him for an hour can get frustrating. I occasionally get grumpy. I have been known to exclaim, "JUST GO TO SLEEP!" on a handful of occasions. I try, and most nights we lie there and snuggle, or I sit and read while he snuggles my leg... but he didn't want me.

[Jacqui]

What you did was raise a child that has a trust that you will be there when he needs you! He feels safe and secure enough to fall asleep without you right next to him, way to go mamma!

[lisavark]

He WANTED to fall asleep without you? That's WONDERFUL. I dream of that moment.

Some people are just more comfortable falling asleep alone. DH always wants his own space at night. It's probably just your DS's personality to like having his own space, and now that he's old enough, he's able to express that and feel safe falling asleep alone. That's awesome.

[blizzard_babe]

Originally Posted by lisavark

He WANTED to fall asleep without you? That's WONDERFUL. I dream of that moment.

Some people are just more comfortable falling asleep alone. DH always wants his own space at night. It's probably just your DS's personality to like having his own space, and now that he's old enough, he's able to express that and feel safe falling asleep alone. That's awesome.

See, and I've dreamed of it, too . He's been SUCH a "poor sleeper" his entire life, I imagined someday being able to just kiss him goodnight and wander out... and then last night it happened and I was kind of bummed.

Part of it, I think, is that I was all stressed out from work and not my usual happy self last night, so I keep wondering if he was not wanting me around because I was grumpy.

I think I'm putting too much thought into this.

[echoecho1528]

Thank you so much for posting this! I have been having a similar situation with 23 mo DD for the past month or so.
The last time I got my period, my PMS was so bad, I ended up yelling at her a bit when she was having her usual trouble getting to sleep
It is quite heartbreaking for her to not want to be comforted by me. Whether it is because she is finally having a bit of sleep maturity or because she is hurt/upset/confused by my behavior is a huge difference.
I want to take the frustrating nights back, but of course that is impossible. She now prefers daddy for bed time. Hopefully it is just a coincidence.