My DS 4.11yo has woken us up every night for the last 3 years. Be hasn't had a bad dream, he doesn't need a wee, he isn't distressed or anxious or frightened - I think it's just habit, he wants to get in our bed.
I've tried reward charts.
I've tried explaining that if be doesn't let us all sleep then we're all too tired to have fun.
I've tried putting him in his sister's room for company.
I've tried silently taking him back to bed, repeatedly.
I've tried getting cross with him.
All these have been tried consistently for weeks at a time to give it chance to work, but apart from a handful of flukes there's no effect. He's been at full time Kindergarten for a year so the usual advice that he'll be tired when he starts school doesn't apply. Yet again I'm sobbing and frustrated and unable to get back to sleep after putting him back to bed 5 times in the last hour and a half. This is killing me and DH has disappeared off to the spare bed because I can't sleep. I'm so tired in the day time that I can't function and I think I'm starting to get depressed.
The one thing that stops him getting up is if I close his bedroom door, which is what I've resorted to tonight. It's open again, I only have to threaten it for it to have an effect. It makes him hysterical and for that reason I hate doing it. I'm at my wits end though and just can't think of anything else to try? I think if I try closing his door the first time he wakes up, it might work but only because he's terrified - I don't want to be the mother that scares her child into submission! I just don't know what to do anymore and I can't stop crying. Would the GP or HV help? Why won't he stay asleep?
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AIBU?
To close his bedroom door
44 replies
pjmama · 13/08/2011 04:57
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