While it is lovely to stay in one bed with your child, it will come to the point that you have to let them go. For one, this encourages independence. And in some cases, the bed might be too small that no one can sleep comfortably. Whatever your reason is, allowing your child to sleep on their own has a multitude of benefits.
In this post, we will share with you tips on how to make your child sleep in their own bed.
Best Ways on How to Make Your Child Sleep in Their Own Bed
We have here some of the practical ways to ensure that your kid’s transition will be seamless and easy for them.
Decorate Your Kid’s Room to be Sleep-Friendly
If you plan to give your child their own room, you must make it conducive for sleeping. There’s no single way to do it, so we recommend experimenting with your kid’s room. For example, you can add stuffed toys or even place a moon projector. It adds character to the room, is entertaining, and could help your little one fall asleep. Here’s one that has surpassed our expectations.
SOAIY Galaxy Projector
Check the latest price on Amazon.
This night light has a modern and futuristic design which your child might appreciate. It provides high-quality looking stars and could even work with Alexa. There are 16 million colors to choose from, and you can easily adjust its brightness. There’s also an ‘ocean wave’ in which you can adjust the speed. It’s everything you’ve ever wanted from a projector. To be honest, this is not just for babies or children. Even your teens and you can enjoy it as well, so it’s an excellent investment.
In addition to the night light, getting them a lovely bed frame might also help. Check our recommendation below out and see if they will like it.
Max & Lily Twin Low Loft Bed with Slide
Check the latest price on Amazon.
This bed is made with solid New Zealand pine wood and has superior quality. It is non-toxic, and it’s perfect for your little ones. The bed is sturdy and strong enough that it could handle 400 pounds of weight. It also comes with a removable slide so your kid will enjoy their room even more. It is designed to accommodate a twin-size bed, just the right size for your child.
We recommend that you ask someone to build this bed with you as it can be challenging. However, once done, it’s worth it and rewarding. You would even wish they could make something similar for adults too.
Lastly, it would be a great idea to allow your children to help you decorate their room. This will excite them more.
Talk to Your Kid
There’s no need to force your child to sleep on their own bed. You can discuss it with them and slowly encourage them that they need to be on their own.
Many of us might be tempted to say, ‘Don’t be scared.’ But that’s not enough. A better solution is to validate their feelings and say that you understand what they feel. Empathy can go a long way. However, at the end of the day, you need to make it clear that it is time for them to sleep on their bed (or room) alone.
Take It Slowly
You don’t have to make a drastic move, and you can’t expect your child to be comfortable sleeping alone on the first few nights. What you can do is take a step-by-step approach.
An effective way is to place a mattress in your room and let them sleep on it for a couple of days. This adjusts them to be sleeping without anyone beside them. Another technique is to sleep in their room first. You can do so for days and spend hours before leaving your child on their own.
Create Good Sleeping Habits
It is also crucial that you form good sleeping habits with your child. You can prepare them a warm bath or read bedtime stories. When they are already relaxed, and about to sleep, you can slowly walk away, shut off the light, and let them sleep peacefully in their room. Meanwhile, we’ve found an excellent book for you and your kid.
365 Stories and Rhymes: Tales of Magic and Wonder
Check the latest price on Amazon.
Your child will enjoy all the nursery rhymes and fairy tale characters found in this book. And with the amazing illustrations, we are sure they will always look forward to their bedtime stories. These are quick-reads and could also encourage them to read on their own. The book includes 50 nursery rhymes and stories.
You can also play lullabies in the background to improve the overall ambiance of the room.
Extend Your Patience
It is understandable that your child will show some resistance, and they might even cry out of frustration. We say, do not get mad or show your disappointment. It could be just a phase, and you need to be patient. Do not give up and be consistent in sharing your thoughts about them sleeping on their own. You can highlight its benefits so they can understand why they need to have a transition.
Reward Them for a Job Well Done
You can also practice positive reinforcement by giving them recognition or simple tokens once they sleep on their own bed. Some of the samples are to give them extra ‘play’ minutes. Or perhaps, take them to their favorite place after a week of sleeping alone. These things could push them further.
Here’s a fun video that gives you more steps on how to make your child sleep on their own.
Conclusion
This isn’t an overnight success. It might take days, or even weeks, to successfully make your kid sleep on their own. However, with patience and consistency, you can teach your kid independence even at an early age – and that is what’s priceless.
We hope that our tips on how to make your child sleep in their own bed were able to help you. And if you think these are effective, don’t forget to share this link as well.
