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How can I help my six-year-old stop needing me at night?

0 replies

newchaptermummy · 05/08/2026 02:50

Over the last few months our DD (6) sleep has become awful. She has gone from independently getting into bed and sleeping through the night to frequent waking/no sleep and demanding she sleeps in our bed. As it’s the 6 weeks and there is no school/work, we are taking the time to get back to an independent sleep routine.

This is going really well and already seeing progress, but the biggest issue is DD will wake in the night just to see where I am. If she sees me sat on the stairs (I no longer sit with her in her room) then she goes straight back to sleep, but if she can’t see me she is awake and we start the whole routine again.

I understand she has a sleep association with me after the last few months of poor routine, but how do I break this specific habit? If we did I think she would be back to sleeping through the night.

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