It's been exactly two consecutive days and I've had the wonderous experience of being able to sleep through the night without being woken up by either the dog (to be let out) or the 8 year old (who visits our room after waking up at 2am).
It feels great! I have to thank the 'Sleep Fairy' for this one. Upon doing some research on the internet, I found that many other parents have this same problem. Some kids are just weirdly scared of the dark or, through bad habits set early on, can't put themselves back to sleep or stay in bed. I have to admit I am guilty of the latter.
No one means to, but by letting your child sleep in your bed when they wake up in the middle of the night and come wandering into your room vs. walking them back to their own room (1x, 2x, 3x etc.) and making sure they stay there, is setting the grounds for some difficult to break sleeping habits which, unless you have a room big enough for 2 king sized beds or simply enjoy legs and arms in your face while sleeping, will definitely age you!
So, back to the 'Sleep Fairy'. There is a book called The Sleep Fairy by Janie Peterson that sells at popular bookstores for about $16.00. (Get a Border's 30% off coupon and it's a cheap investment for uninterrupted sleep). You can also just "call" the Sleep Fairy with the kids before going to sleep. We've made this up and I'm sure any rendition of it will work fine. "Sleep Fairy, Sleep Fairy please visit me tonight. I promise I will stay in my bed all night". Each child should personally call to the 'Sleep Fairy'....making it their committment.
If each stays in bed, the Sleep Fairy will leave a surprise under their pillow. If they didn't, no surprise. It's been working wonders. There are exceptions to getting out of bed, e.g. if one cames out to use the bathroom, it is okay if they go right back to bed and do not bother mom and dad. Some surprises I've used that my kids like: colorful lampwork or glass beads, silver charms, etc.
However, you need to make sure you don't forget the surprise if they fulfill the committment! I have to make sure I wake up first and do it in the morning since that's when it seems they're in the deepest sleep......
Just in case, here's some reasons why the Sleep Fairy might not have come:
1) I think maybe she wasn't paying attention when you were calling her.....guess it's really important to listen the first time, huh!
2) Oh no, maybe she wasn't feeling well last night!
3) I think the Sleep Fairy might have been too busy last night....that's ok, you did very well and I will get you something special in place of the Sleep Fairy surprise.
Hope this helps someone and saves some time researching on the internet!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Wow! What a great suggestion! I never had kids of my own, but I think it's got to work. When my husband's daughter was little, she, too would wander in the middle of the night, and it would take a while to get her snuggled back into her own bed. Thank you so much for sharing that tip. I hope parents everywhere find you! :) By the way, I love the photo at the top of your blog. Just beautiful! :) Kathy
ReplyDelete