4 bad sleepers - how can i put it right?

[rickman]

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[TracyK]

Once they are asleep in your bed - why don't you creep off to another bed yourself.

[almostanangel]

how old is ds1?

[rickman]

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[Lonelymum]

You've got to get firm Rickman. The three oldest must be told in no uncertain terms that they cannot come into your bed at night. Perhaps you could let them down gently by letting them into your bed in the morning for a cuddle. I am with you on the youngest. My youngest used to sleep a lot with me until he was about a year old. I was just too knackered to bother doing anything else with him. But the older three need to be told.

Have they always done this?

[compo]

This will sound very Little Angles, but what about star charts and little presents for the ones that make it a whole night in their own bed?

[compo]

arrgghh - Angels!!!!

[Lonelymum]

Also, if there is a problem getting them to go to sleep in their beds in the first place, have you tried letting them listen to tapes? That works for mine, even the youngest.

[almostanangel]

i agree with the angel thing[of course] lol but you could make your own with stick stars,,maybe if they get 6 stars in a row they get a treat bribary always works!

[rickman]

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[almostanangel]

good luck whisper whisper

[charliecat]

Did you try anything rickman? This hot weather is keeping my 2, usually good sleepers awake till after 9
My trick for a non arguing bedtime is telling them its time for bed...they go NNNNNNNOoooooooooo and I say Well you can play in your room for 5 mins then and they go up happy thinking they have gained an extra play...when really I have sent them up 10 mins earlier than normal
A treat after breakfast, a jelly baby or 10p to spend on the way to school might be a good idea for the ones that stay in bed.
A no arguements about it either policy. A simple, no you got out of bed No treat. You did. WELL DONE here you go...

[Gobbledigook]

Agree you have to be firm. THe only way to stop this is to put them back in their own bed the minute they arrive at yours. When ds went through a phase of this, I didn't even speak to him or make eye contact - I just picked him up, carried him back to bed, tucked him in and gave him a kiss and walked out again. Just have to keep doing this over and over until they realise there is no point coming in to you as they'll only go straight back again!

Can be very tiring going through the process but worth it to get your own bed back!

[Gobbledigook]

Ditto charliecat - mine normally go to bed at 7ish and are asleep in minutes. Despite putting them to bed at 7.15 they are still awake till gone 9pm atm! It's cos it's light.

Agree about the rewards system for the older ones. My friend has just done this with her two who are 4 and 2.5 and it's worked really well. They had to spend the whole week in their bed to get their treat.

[allyco]

rickman, you sound just like me, except I had big age gaps between my four so rather than have loads in my bed for a short time I've had one at a time for years!!!

Agree you must be firm. BUT it is so horrible. My DD (I've posted on other threads in desperation) has for the last two night been put to bed and then if she cries we just go up and sshh sshh and then out of room. She has cried for a bit and it has been horrible, but last night she only woke up at 12.30am and was asleep again by 1.30am and it wasn't all screaming and crying some was just moans and groans. We're sticking at it.

I know how you feel though. It is well miserable isn't it - x -