Topic : Where Should Your Child Sleep?

I found it was so easy when Autumn was first born to just let her sleep in the bed with us because i was breastfeeding. I had a little cradle next to the bed that she would sometime go back and forth to. I also loved having her close. When she was about 6 months old she started sleeping in her crib. She liked having her own space. She is now 2.5 years old and sleeping in a toddler bed. Me and my husband let her fall asleep with us every once in a while and other times she just wants to get in her own bed.When my husband leaves for work Autumn will get in bed with me so we can wake up together. It would be too hard for us to co-sleep all the time because we only have  a full size bed and my hubby is 6 foot 2!! That leaves me either squished in the middle or falling off the bed!

Our arrangement works well for us. I like being able to cuddle with Autumn at night and in the morning while still having my own space to sleep at night.

It almost sounds as if your daughter 'night terrors'. My daughter -now 12 and a GREAT sleeper- was like that when she was three four and five. My husband is a trucker and not home many nights so it was ok for her to sleep with me. That doesn't help much I know, but if it's any consolation, it should pass. how old is your daughter? any possibility it's a diet thing? I saw a show once on a kid with problems like that and it ended up being that it was a reaction to a food he ate before bed that ended up causing him pain. Maybe it's that she can't sleep, not that she won't. What is she like during the day? It is so hard to function as a parent when you're sleep deprived. do you have any family or friends that could stay one or two nights a week to give you and your wife a break? Has your daughter ever spent a night away from as grandma's or something? Is she the same way no matter where she sleeps.

Our daughter slept with us till she was about 2 months old then she was ready to sleep by herself.     She has had a few nights when she would wake up crying (we just moved) so I would give in and let her sleep with us.    But after awhile we decided enough is enough she needs to sleep in her own bed.    So when she woke up crying I would rub her back and say its ok but you need to go back to sleep and I would turn on her pooh bear that plays music and leave the room.  She cried but not long and went back to sleep.   She did this 3 nights in a row and it stopped.    If she wakes up she just goes back to sleep on her own.

        hi does your daughter take naps late? that will effect her sleep at night. dont get her on meds. for sleeping my son is ADHD and needs meds to go to sleep, not good he can't go to sleep with out the med. have you tried a brain scan. good luck. GOD BLESS YOU.

Hi I saw this subject and I thought I would just say I am a single mom and it has been my daughter and myself for 13 years. She sleeps in her bed sometimes and sleeps with me sometimes. But for the past month or so , after that Jon Benae Ramsey story came back up- that story really freaks her out.... she has been scared and wants to sleep with me.  I am afraid that I may have scared her by watching that movie with her a couple of years ago and warning her about child kidnapers and such. She was talking to strangers at construction sites in the neighborhood and it was scaring me to death  so I was showing her stories on the news  and how she had to be careful because there were some crazy people out there. and I am afraid I have made her scared to sleep alone at night. It doesn't bother me for her to sleep with me. I have a king size bed and I get lonesome anyway so I enjoy her with me, but I am concerned about her fear.  Any sugestions? Did I just make a huge mistake?

It's good to educate the kids about danger, but showing them the danger is not enough, you have to teach them to avoid the danger if possible- which it sounds like you've done- but you need to empower her as to what to do if she finds herself in a dangerous situation. I'm guessing your daughter is at least 13 or 14 so may I suggest a self-defense course for the two of you.  good luck.

MY 5YR/O DAUGHTER HAS SLEPT WITH HER DAD SINCE DAY ONE!!! WE KNOW IT IS WORNG..BUT HE IS A SOFTY AND SHE JUST GOT USED TO DAD GIVING IN,NOW WE ARE HAVING A VERY TOUGH TIME GETTING HER TO BED,SHE WILL DO WHATEVER IT TAKES TO GET HIM TO GO TO BED WITH HER EVERY NIGHT NOW,WE TRY SO HARD TO STOP THIS BUT SHE WILLL BE UP ALL NIGHT,I (MOM) TRY TO SLEEP WITH HER BUT SHE WILL WAKE UP GO RIGHT TO DAD...PLEASE HELP...THANK YOU LAURA