Getting your child to sleep in his/her own bed

Trying to get your child to sleep in his own bed is a daunting task, but the efforts are well worth it. Don't rush into it and buy a new bed right away, most children make the switch between ages 1 ½ and 3 ½. Many little ones aren't just ready to make the transition and hence it's often best to wait until your child is about 3 years old.

You can make this process easier by including activities that can make the idea of sleeping in a new bed exciting and special to your child.

-Plan a bedroom makeover by emphasizing on how exciting it is to have her/his own room.
-Explore why your child wants to sleep in your bed with you so that you can address any issues that he/she may have.
-Buy a toy that your child can use only for sleeping and strictly only for his/her bed.
-Spend some time with your child on his/her bed, just long enough to read a story.
-Tuck your child in gently each and every time he or she gets out of bed.
-Make sure that the bed has enough support so that he or she doesn't fall out of bed while asleep.
-Discuss and share stories of the time when you had to make the change from sleeping in your parent's bed to your own bed.
-Invest in some night lights. This can definitely go a long way towards driving out night terrors
-Ensure that your child can fall asleep independently without rocking or soothing from you. This autonomy is vital for him/her to fall back to sleep independently if he/she wakes up in the middle of the night. This can be done by tucking your child in when he's awake, thus making him/her feel secure and comfortable in his/her own bed with a regular bedtime routine.

Finally, have PATIENCE! With consistent training, encouragement and love; your child will learn to sleep independently!