Ending co-sleeping... moving my 3.5 y/o out of the family bed

[Nightwish]

It's time for us to move on... After many years of me and dh sleeping in separate rooms, I just want dd to sleep in her own room.

I used to co-sleep in her room on a double bed, now I moved back to my bedroom... we leave the door open so dd can join us during the night.

So far, it's not going so well. Dd wakes up around 2 am and joins us in our bed, and we all sleep miserably for the rest of the night.

I'm sure in time it will get better. I just needed to vent.

Any positive stories of moving preschoolers to their own space at night? I would love to hear them, it would help me be more positive about the whole thing :)

[katelove]

Could you put a mattress on your floor so she could come into your room but needn't be in the same bed?

[Nightwish]

Thanks for the suggestion. She probably wouldn't want to sleep in the same room but not in the same bed. I leave the doors open and our room and her room are so close I can hear her breathe, but she still comes to our bed in the middle of the night.

Plus, our room is very cold so I wouldn't want her sleeping on the floor.

[tremieli]

My 3yo starts the night in her own bed, and then comes to ours sometime between 10 and 12.  She sleeps between my husband and I, as she's always done.  I know she would never accept sleeping on the floor either!  She doesn't wake up after she comes to our bed, but she usually is very restless and kicks and rolls a good bit, disturbing everyone! 

BUT, all of this represents a big improvement from six months ago.  She used to start the night in our bed, and wake up every two hours all night long.  Horrible sleep deprivation!  I made the change very gradually, and it involved a lot of crying on her part, and even more sleep deprivation on mine, but eventually it got better.  I'd say that if you want her to sleep in her bed, you need to bring her back there after she wakes up, and put her back to sleep, until she eventually stops getting up to go to your bed.  It's more work for now, but eventually she'll get it and stay all night in her bed.  Good luck!