While you may not have a problem co-sleeping or receiving nightly visits from your children, sooner or later they will have to sleep on their own and in their own bed. Although this transition may be a constant struggle at first, potentially causing you and your child to become grouchy, with time and the right direction you will overcome the obstacle of teaching your children to sleep on their own.
Step 1
Turn bedtime into fun time. Give your children a bath before going to bed, read them their favorite books or try to include playtime. This will use up their remaining energy, help them to relax and prepare them for bed. As bedtime becomes associated with play and relaxation, children will become less incline to fight about going to sleep on their own.
Step 2
Make the room as comfortable as possible. Some children fear the dark, monsters, being alone, etc. Counteract this by playing soothing music or utilizing a small night light to "keep the boogieman away" at night. Also, have comforting talks with your children before sleep; reassure them that you will be nearby if anything goes wrong.
Step 3
Avoid giving snacks or heavy meals before bedtime. This will increase the likelihood that your children will want to stay up and join you in bed. Additionally, watching television and bright lights will re-energize your children. However, so long as you do not address it as a bribe, you may consider negotiating that your children can watch television before bed so long as they can sleep in their own room afterward.
Step 4
Commit to a routine. If you periodically let your children sleep in bed whenever they want, they will grow accustomed to it. You have to firmly let your children know when bedtime is and that they are not allowed to join you at night. It will also help to wake up, eat, shower and go to sleep at the same time so that your children grow accustomed to the schedule, suggests research at the Mayo Clinic.
Step 5
Have a little patience if your children decide to visit your room in the middle of the night. Calmly speak to them and walk them back to their beds. No matter what happens, avoid staying in their room or letting them stay in yours.
Step 6
Praise your children whenever they go to their own bed following the same bedtime routine. You can do so by putting a little surprise under their pillow when they wake up or allowing them to choose an activity they would like to do the next morning. In time, children will find their own rewards for sleeping on their own.
