Friday, September 07, 2007

Sleeping In Their Own Room

I'm sure everyone has a story to tell when it comes to their children's sleeping habits. Just look at how my daughter sleeps. She is a master contortionist. I don't know why they like to sleep froggy style???? Something to do with reflections of the time they spent in the womb, maybe?

Anyway, my topic for today is getting children to sleep in their own room. Many parents are afraid to co-sleep with their children because they are afraid they may never claim back their sleeping space. The question "how to kick them out of my bed later ah?" weighs heavily on their minds.

Well, I'm here to tell you there is hope. You won't believe it, my daughter decided ON HER OWN, to sleep in her own room herself. And with the door closed too. Yeah... no hassle, no bribing, no pleading, no tantrums, no running back to my room, no nice decoration to make it enticing, no nothing. I didn't even ask her to go! And sometimes, her brother decides he wants to sleep in the other room with his sister too. Wow, a 2-in-1 package deal.

How did I do it? Errr... I really don't know. The following may have helped:
  • It's their playroom. So, maybe the room is associated with fun.
  • We keep referring to it as THEIR room. Maybe she likes the idea of ownership.
  • When my mom comes to visit, she sleeps there with her.
  • We keep telling her that one day she will have to move to her room. There was hinting that "one day" would be the day she starts Std.1. Well, she starts next year. Maybe the deadline helped.
But she does keep asking for that double decker bed. Sorry dear, no money now.

So to all the parents out there who fear you may have to pull out all your hair before you get your children to sleep in their own room... it may turn out to be not so bad after all.
I'm just glad I still have my small baby to cuddle in bed while my other babies are growing up. Sob!

13 comments:

  1. My kids sleep in the same froggy style too. Hehe.

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  2. your daughter growing fast...
    wow, she has quite a flexible body..can do gymnastics...

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  3. My gal also sleep this style! I try to pull her leg straight but she immediately pull back into this position...hehe...
    Got a tag for u here. http://justmyrambling.com/2007/09/06/another-number-tag/

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  4. look at that style , she must be very soft body ...:)
    Good hor ur girl ask for slepping at her own . so good girl !!

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  5. Awwww what a great shot. Looks kind of uncomfortable but I bet she slept like a log :)

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  6. Hi L--very funny way to sleep (smile)! My little one used to sleep with her legs up the side of her crib. She still does that sometimes now in her bed.

    They do grow so fast, eh?

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  7. hubby said wanna sleep with Qiqi till she grows up :(

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  8. Haha....don't get pins and needles ar? Yes, all kids will come around in their own time, as with potty training, losing their thumbs, wanting to sleep alone etc. Great job, Mummy!

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  9. Hey my children also sleep in their bedroom now and I did the same as you, make the room as comfy for them as possible. No hassle. Actually, we don't have to kick them out of the room too early as they won't understand and cause more crying problems.

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  10. mumsgather:
    Another froggy kaki.

    chanelwong:
    Only flexible when sleeping :)

    blur mommy:
    I think I've done this tag before but can't seem to find it. It's okay, I will do it again :)

    anggie's journel:
    Yah, surprised me when she said she was going to sleep on her own. Thought she would run back but she didn't.

    Aurelia:
    Yes, she sleeps like a log.

    TNP:
    They sleep all sort of funny ways. Yes, they grow really fast. I look at her long legs and wonder what happened to my baby.

    Mummy to qiqi:
    She must be a daddy's girl eh? So mommy don't get night time cuddles then?

    Big Pumpkin & Mybabybay:
    You are right, they will come around in the own time. So no need to stress trying to force something they are not ready for.

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  11. Turning the kids' room into their playroom is a good idea. That's exactly what I did for my gals when I transferred them to their own room. Now, they love their room so much that they don't even wanna come bk to sleep with us even when invited, haha!
    And yes, Karina has such flexible limbs, look at her hand!

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  12. That's a special sleeping pattern... wonder how kids sleep and not feel cramp :)

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