How to teach a child to sleep separately from parents

Sleeping with a child is practical and convenient for mothers who are breastfeeding. A woman does not need to approach the cradle of the baby cradle and rock the baby several times a night, because she feels warm and familiar smell, so she calms down faster and is less naughty. With age, the baby becomes more mature and independent, and the mother decides that it is time for him to have her own bed. But how to safely separate a child from their parents and teach them to sleep separately?

Optimal time

Mom independently chooses the most successful moment, because she knows her own baby better than psychologists and other specialists. Introverted children who are happy to be alone in the room and do not require increased attention to their own person, begin to separate from their parents in 1,5-2 years.Sociable and active kids are trying to stay under my mother's side as long as possible. But the hardest thing to do with shy and shy toddler, who sleep restlessly and wake up from every rustle.

Children should be accustomed to their own bed from 6–8 months, when the number of night feeds is reduced. Infants at this age can turn themselves around and take a comfortable position, they have less colic, so sleep becomes longer and more restful. If the experiment fails, you should wait until your child’s teeth erupt and try again.

From 4–5 years old, the Oedipus complex manifests itself in children: they are jealous of mom to dad and vice versa, they do not allow parents to hug each other and try to draw all their attention to themselves. Before this age, the child must learn to sleep separately, preferably in another room, otherwise in the future he may develop psychological problems.

There are several signs indicating that the baby is ready to be relocated to his own bed:

1. A child has a possessive instinct, when he divides things into “his” and “alien”.
2. The kid knows how to entertain himself on his own and does not ask his mother every 5 minutes.
3. Night sleep lasts at least 6 hours, and if the baby wakes up, it does not begin to cry or scream.

It is possible to teach a child to sleep separately, even if it prevents parents from engaging in adult affairs, because mom and dad also have the right to privacy.

When to wait

It is recommended to postpone the relocation of the baby to another room if:

• teeth are cutting through;
• the child has a cold and high fever;
• the baby has just started going to the kindergarten;
• he learns to eat on his own or go to the toilet.

Children are not able to master several skills at the same time, and in stressful situations, like a disease, they need a mother, which they associate with security and peace of mind. You should not simultaneously shift the baby in its cradle and wean it, otherwise the baby and the woman will have to forget about the night's rest.

Correct Arguments

With two-year family members can agree and explain the situation. Tell that every adult has their own bed, and mom and dad too.The son or daughter is already big and bold, so they must sleep separately. Usually children try to imitate their parents. They agree to sleep in the other room during the day, but on the condition that the mother is near. Gradually, the child gets used to rest on his bed and does not mind if he is offered to lie here and at night.

Kids love holidays and fairy tales, so why not mark his little move? Go along with the child and choose a bed that will suit him. Let it not fit into the interior, it looks strange or ridiculous, but the main thing is that the kid is delighted.

It seems to the child that he is losing his mother and a part of her love when he agrees to sleep separately. If we mark this event with balloons, a tasty cake and a new toy, then the transition to our own room turns into a grandiose and joyful event. You can even invite relatives or friends to celebrate the symbolic maturation of the baby. Everyone should praise the hero of the occasion, and parents proudly tell how big he is.

At the first call

The bed at first can be put next to the parent bed.The child will fall asleep and see the mother, which has a calming effect on him. If parents are determined to move the baby to another room, then they should react at night to every cry and immediately rush to help. It is important for children to know that even if the mother is at a distance, she will quickly come to the rescue.

Do not recommend to wait until the baby falls asleep next to the parents, and then carry it. This method may work several times, but then the child will become restless and capricious. We'll have to spend more time for his motion sickness, because the baby will be afraid that once again he will wake up in frightening loneliness.

Children from 3 years old and more are smart enough to figure out: enough to cry - and mom will come. Some begin to cheat, forcing parents to jump out of bed several times a night. If a child regularly complains about monsters, there are two reasons: he tries to attract attention or is really afraid.

In the first case, the mother or father is advised to be strict and not to deviate from the decision. It is necessary to come to the baby's room, look under the bed and in the closet to convince him that there is nothing wrong there.A psychologist should work with the second situation. Maybe someone or something scared the child, so now he is afraid of darkness or loneliness.

Dream room

Well, if the young member of the family independently arrange their bedroom. Choose a place for the bed, arrange the toys and paint the walls. When a child independently decorates his own territory, he fills it with comfort and safety. He is pleased to be in his room: play, have fun, fall asleep.

Mom can put on the shelf a cute little animal, saying that the toy will protect the dream of the daughter or son from monsters. In the nursery there must be a night light; it is better to leave the door ajar so as not to fence off the child from the outside world.

If the baby is frightened by rustles or other sounds, you can turn on quiet, calm music. Ideal classic, some children's songs or lullabies. Singing mothers can record their own voice to soothe the child.

Special rituals

To make the baby fall asleep faster, it is recommended to repeat the same actions every evening. For example, swimming, reading, watching cartoons or talking with mom.Thanks to a peculiar ritual, the child develops the habit that if he put on his pajamas with bears, then it’s time to close his eyes and go to the Land of Dreams.

Recommend to refrain from too active games or emotional conversations, after which the baby will be hard to calm down and relax. Mom can ask the child about his dreams, tell how her day went, read fairy tales or just lie next to her. Children fall asleep faster when they are waiting. For example, dad said that the next day they would go to a zoo or cafe, but for now you need to close your eyes and dream.

If a child asks his mother every night to stay with him, then you can cheat. Put your favorite toy next to the baby and say that the hare (bear, giraffe, cat) will stay in bed while the parent comes off to brush her teeth, wash the dishes or help her dad. But mom will definitely return after 10-40 minutes.

In the morning, when the child wakes up, you should thank the toy that guarded the baby’s sleep. A child will consider a teddy bear or a hare to be her mother's assistant, with whom it is not scary to stay in the room.

Secret: Some babies sleep better if they smell mom.Women carry a toy with them, pressing them to their sweater or T-shirt so that they “soak” with the scent of their body and perfume. In the evening, they give the toy to the baby, leaving with it a piece of themselves.

If the child comes into the bedroom

Children who have just moved into their own room, wake up in the middle of the night and ask their mom on the bed? You can not let the child to him under the blanket. If he is cold, you should wear warm pajamas or get a blanket. Bring to the toilet, bring water, and then calm and take back to the nursery. The second time, you should repeat the whole procedure, and the third time, silently put it back in the crib and go to your room.

It is difficult for children to part with their beloved mother, but the sooner this happens, the more independent the child will be in later life. At first this task seems difficult and unbearable, but thanks to patience and dedication parents can achieve the desired and teach the baby to sleep separately.

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