The boogeyman

[ryedalema]

I know we've possibly/probably made a rod for our own backs but we've been less than strict with eldest dd about her sleeping in her own bed. Especially when our baby (who shares a room with her) is a bit restless and (ahem) vocal.

Her argument? 'Daddy and Mummy get to share beds - why can't i? Hmmmmmmmm......

Now madam (aged 3.5) is refusing to go to sleep in her own bed - saying that she's lonely and that she might have bad dreams. We've tried buying her own special bed, 'magic' teddies who ward off evil boogeymen, stickers...and tonight sees the start of the latest bribery, 'go five nights in your own bed without crying and Barbie can have some new clothes'.

Has anyone got any better suggestions for easy bed-loving? I hate to bribe with branded/plastic but it's the only thing I can think of right now.

I'd really welcome your advice on this :))

[GSJ57]

We used a spray bottle filled with water, set to fine mist, and sprayed around the doors and windows to stop our monsters coming in - son was a bit younger, about 2 I think, but it worked.... I let him spray it so he had some control. I didn't let him see me fill it with plain water though - it was clearly magic water! By the way - nothing wrong with bribing... whatever works!

G

[Fuschia]

Bribery yes.. but I think 5 days then a prize is too long. Can you have something more immediate like she chooses her fave cereal (maybe get those tiny boxes) if she sleeps in her bed

Other tips I have seen (Elizabeth Pantley) include being allowed out of bed ONCE

small mattress on your bedroom floor, if she wants to come in she gets in there without waking you

[ryedalema]

Oh I'm glad others bribe...phew. I thought I was committing some cardinal bad mummy sin.

The 'water' sounds fab - will definitely try that.

And yes I think you're right.. five days probably is too long. I don't want to mess with brekkie if I can (have got a family bowl of porridge with dates routine shared among all of us which is really cute and baby gets to get involved) but can definitely find some other treat in the morning after a 'good' night. (Non choc/sweet related of course!)

Hmmmmm - will put thinking cap on.

[Fuschia]

A pack of new sparkly socks? Could still have a sticker chart building up to a bigger prize but something immediate is good. Have you seen bunny ears clock to say when it's morning?

[melbourne groover]

I used a pack of those Disney princess figurines, I think they are a tenner for 6 or 7 of them. Then you can dole them out as you need to (maybe 1 after the first night then 1 after 2 nights, another after 3 etc) and you don't end up spending a fortune.

[ryedalema]

Yeah we have a version of the bunny clock which turns green in the morning when she's allowed to get up. Trouble is she gets into bed (after the usual grumps) and watches the clock from bedtime...until she drops off, then wakes really early (the 4s) in the hope that it is green, and waits until it is...aaaggh.

We've started turning it off as it can't be healthy losing sleep waiting until getting up time.

How do you get past that one?

Little madam!

Sparkly socks sound good - I can surprise her with them in the morning. And actually anything sparkly/princessy would work.

[ryedalema]

Those figurines sound just the ticket - do you happen to know where to get them? Is it a Sainsbury's job, or a Toys R Us excursion?

[candj]

You can get the monster spray in Biff in the village. We've used it before and I think it's just lavender water but it works pretty well.

Our eldest comes into our room occasionally saying she has had bad dreams and we take her back to her bed and sit with her for a while to reassure her. I always try to ask what she is afraid of and she usually doesn't remember. I think talking to children and finding out what they are afraid of helps. We also have night lights on in the hall and their rooms but sometimes these create spooky shadows and I've had to turn them off before!

[Carrie]

If mine had bad dreams and were scared to go back to sleep I told them that if they told me what the bad dream was then that would let it out of their head and it would float away and not be able to come back to bother them again. They believed it which was the important thing.

If you are "banishing" monsters with magic spray - make sure you banish them from the whole house and not just her bedroom!

[melbourne groover]

Sadly I think the princess figurines are a disney thing so either brave a trip to the Disney shop (or even better get someone else to) - or order online maybe? I definately think something princessy at that age is the key (they do grow out of it pretty quick). Good luck with whatever you decide on!

[nunheadmum]

On the treats front, I find my 2 will do a lot for 1 chocolate button in the morning!!! I'm still amazed by it but at least I don't feel toooo bad about using chocolate.

[nancyse15]

My son was worried about monsters in the night. He has a particularly fierce looking toy dragon which breathes plastic red fire (maybe the root of the problem?!)and just before I kiss son goodnight, I pick up the toy and do my best dragon voice saying 'I will protect you all night and make sure no naughty monsters get you'. Seems silly writing it down, but my son buys it entirely and seems comforted by it.

Also we have a reward chart for staying in bed all night and not coming into mummy and daddy's bed.

Good luck.

[ryedalema]

The promise of Disney Cinderella figurine (?3 from the PO at the bottom of our road!) worked really well. After Madam kicking off her duvet, pillows and the walls the first night, and NOT getting the toy that I'd shown her, she behaved really well last night. Only getting out of bed for a loo stop.

Hoorahhh!

One piece of horrid branded plastic/future landfill presented to huge smiles.

Now she has to go two more nights to get another one - Tinkerbell this time.

It'd be easier I think if the kids at nursery didn't wind each other up with 'killing each other' and bats, spiders, monsters and other scary things. Is it me or is this all much younger than... (coughs up Werthers Original while peering over bifocals) ...in my day??? I'm sure I wasn't scared of that kind of stuff until at least primary school.

Anyone concur?