The Family Bed Some societies and families believe in the communal bed.
It seems natural that a toddler would want to be soothed by her parents.
This is the purpose of a family.
When parents deliberately choose the family bed as a comfortable, satisfying way to raise their children, then I believe it will succeed.
However, a toddler can certainly feel attached to her parents without being with them all night if she receives plenty of hugs, kisses, and empathy during the day.
Sleeping alone can also help your toddler feel that she can function on her own and not be sad when she is separated from you.
Problems seem to arise when parents fall into having a family bed because it seems a lot easier than teaching a child how to sleep on his own.
Says one mother: "I was getting so exhausted running back and forth to my daughter's crib all night that I just put her in our bed.
Now I regret it because she sprawls all over me and I can't sleep.
I also can't get her out.
" When you become convinced that you want your toddler back in his room, your decisiveness will eventually convince him.
You might say something like: "It is time for you to start sleeping in your room again.
Mommy and Daddy get a little cranky if they are tired.
We need a good night's sleep and so do you.
We will be here if you need us.
" Waking Up Does this sound familiar? "My daughter always wakes up grumpy.
Sometimes I just dread going into her room.
On the other hand, her older brother always seems to wake up incredibly cheerful.
" Some toddlers seem to need time to adjust to a new day.
A big smile and conversation is just not their style.
It doesn't help them or you to take their crankiness personally or feel obligated to get them in a good mood.
Of course, it's important to make sure there isn't something that is making your daughter unhappy about the coming day.
Says one mother: "I always thought it was my daughter's nature to wake up in a bad mood.
Then I started realizing that she was always in a great mood on the weekends.
I put two and two together and concluded that our weekday schedule was too hectic for her.
We left for work about fifteen minutes after she got up.
Now we wake her up so she can spend an hour with us.
She is much happier.
" One father whose son always seemed to wake up irritable relates: "My child really just wanted to lounge around the house rather than have a scheduled playgroup routine each morning.
I changed our dates to only two mornings per week.
"
It seems natural that a toddler would want to be soothed by her parents.
This is the purpose of a family.
When parents deliberately choose the family bed as a comfortable, satisfying way to raise their children, then I believe it will succeed.
However, a toddler can certainly feel attached to her parents without being with them all night if she receives plenty of hugs, kisses, and empathy during the day.
Sleeping alone can also help your toddler feel that she can function on her own and not be sad when she is separated from you.
Problems seem to arise when parents fall into having a family bed because it seems a lot easier than teaching a child how to sleep on his own.
Says one mother: "I was getting so exhausted running back and forth to my daughter's crib all night that I just put her in our bed.
Now I regret it because she sprawls all over me and I can't sleep.
I also can't get her out.
" When you become convinced that you want your toddler back in his room, your decisiveness will eventually convince him.
You might say something like: "It is time for you to start sleeping in your room again.
Mommy and Daddy get a little cranky if they are tired.
We need a good night's sleep and so do you.
We will be here if you need us.
" Waking Up Does this sound familiar? "My daughter always wakes up grumpy.
Sometimes I just dread going into her room.
On the other hand, her older brother always seems to wake up incredibly cheerful.
" Some toddlers seem to need time to adjust to a new day.
A big smile and conversation is just not their style.
It doesn't help them or you to take their crankiness personally or feel obligated to get them in a good mood.
Of course, it's important to make sure there isn't something that is making your daughter unhappy about the coming day.
Says one mother: "I always thought it was my daughter's nature to wake up in a bad mood.
Then I started realizing that she was always in a great mood on the weekends.
I put two and two together and concluded that our weekday schedule was too hectic for her.
We left for work about fifteen minutes after she got up.
Now we wake her up so she can spend an hour with us.
She is much happier.
" One father whose son always seemed to wake up irritable relates: "My child really just wanted to lounge around the house rather than have a scheduled playgroup routine each morning.
I changed our dates to only two mornings per week.
"