New Sleep Issues with 4YO

You could tuck him in at night and sit with your back facing his bed (not against the bed but still in his room) until he falls asleep.  Ignore his cries.  He might try to make you feel sorry for him, but you know he is safe ad okay.  You are there in body to make him feel secure but also showing him that you will not engage in conversation.  It’s bedtime.  If he gets out of bed, gently put him back in, tuck him in again and sit on the floor with your back to his bed.  This could be a long process at first.

You sitting in his room might make him feel comfortable in his new surroundings and help him fall asleep knowing you are there.  And once he’s asleep you can get some sleep in your own bed without him. 🙂

Also, if he gets up in the night…tuck him back in his own bed and start the “sitting with your back to him” process over again until he falls asleep.  After a few nights of this you might have won the battle.

Blessings!

Now I am the queen of not wanting big kids to sleep with me (I don’t care if other people do, but I’m a light sleeper and if I had my way, my hubby and I would have twin beds like Lucy and Ricky just so I can not be disturbed when I sleep), that said – my husband LOVES letting our girls sleep with us (we have FOUR!!!!!)  We had a similar crazy transition and I’m not sure if we had a sleep issue or not, because we didn’t wait for them to wake up scared, we just kept them with us that whole time.  You may want to let him set up a little bed on the floor next to you for a few nights or a few weeks so you can catch up on your sleep and get to feeling better physically – it sounds like you might be a little stressed (or at least I was when I was in a similar moving situation).  I think kids can sense our stress and it does make them scared – we’re supposed to be the rock… at least in their eyes.  I’d continue to point him to Jesus for strength, but I wouldn’t be afraid of keeping him nearby until you’re more settled.  Then get him a night light or a special toy or whatever to help him be brave – for our family we were able to break the habit of having them with us every night – so it can be done…  I guess what I want to stress is that it’s ok to not always follow your own rules or expectations – you need to do what you need to do to survive and that means getting enough sleep, when you’re well rested the routine can be fixed – if it’s not a Biblical issue, then it’s negotiable!  Don’t be hard on yourself or your DS.  (I learned this lesson again this last summer when I had my fourth child and stocked up on frozen pizzas and chicken nuggets and paper plates!!! – Definitely not part of my normal routine or ideal household plan or even our grocery budget, but it helped me deal with some stress by easing my mind about what my family would eat on the days I was too tired to plan/prepare for dinner.)

And if you are driving to WA and find yourself needing a stopping point in Omaha – please know that we’d love to have you stay for the night or play for a while or whatever might help you with your journey – cross country with little tykes and a tight budget can be hard – pm me if you’re coming this way! 

Blessings,

Rebekah

We are also going through a big transition. We have done one of two things. Either he sleeps with us or I sleep with him in his bed. My husband and I are in agreement on this. We have raised him in Africa for the most part. There everyone sleeps with their children until they are sleeping with siblings, etc so it is something that is just accepted and normal – and not an act of spoiling or something they won’t get back out of. So I say, one way or another, sleep with him. Maybe that will help him feel secure.

Blessings,

Dana