3 yr old wont sleep in bed

Question

my 3 yr old daughter wont sleep in her bedroom by herself... she wants to sleep in the living room on the couch and stupid me has let this become a bad habit...i have tried almost everything... i even tried just keep putting her in there over and over again but it seemed like it wasn't working... well now i am a little over 7 months pregnant and want her to start sleeping in her room like a big girl by herself so then it is easier on me when i have the baby also... i dint know what to do... maybe it is just my hormones going crazy but I'm at my Witt's ends and i cant take it no more.. i feel SO bad when she is in the screaming for me saying stuff like mommy I'm sorry mommy i love you and then she gets mad and yells that she dint like me no more and that right there just breaks my heart i cry and let her come out with me... i know its not good... someone help me... my bf isn't home when she goes to bed hes at work and he doesn't really put up the discipline with her because she is not biologically his... he feels that's not hes thing to do... her real dad has nothing to do with her... sorry for running on i needed to vent a little bit thank you... any help is appreciated... PLEASE help me!!

Answer 1

Ok I have a 3 year old son, so i understand your difficulty! My answer which I can pretty much guarantee most on this board will not like is straight old fashioned advice....here it goes!

Tell her tonight is the night to start sleeping in her room...now that shes 3 and a big girl she is to sleep in her bed...(she will test you on this, to see if you'll give in again..you can't give in...or she'll continually test you)...tell her if she come out of her room, you will give her a warning 2 times and then on the third..tell her you love her and its bed time and then.put a baby gate (or 2) across her doorway....she will kick scream, yell and call you names...at this point you can not cry, get upset or let her shake you (you are the parent and in control here!)...stick to your guns and go back and check on her every 5 mins, she'll know you are there and shes not alone but she's not allowed to sleep in your bed or on the couch....

it is important that you all get a good night sleep in your house and developmentally speaking its important that she sleeps well!

Answer 2

Some people say not to, but why not reward her for good behavior? Tell her that if she sleeps in her bed for the night, you'll make her her favorite breakfast in the morning or something like that.

Does she like sleeping in the living room because it's near you, or because the couch is more comfortable? If she likes the way the couch feels more, you could trick her into thinking hers is more comfortable- lay in it yourself and act like you've fallen asleep and wait for her to 'wake' you up. Actually, that doesn't sound like a bad idea at all, to me- climb into her bed and pretend to sleep in it yourself, then maybe she will be more inclined to sleep in it!

Answer 3

We are having the same problem with our three year.  We did though once buy a fish night light and put it next to her bed.  She was able to lay there and watch the fish go around and around.  That did work for awhile.  

Answer 4

ok well if you have her room already with tv and things that she likes well go there and stay as late as you guys can and wait untill she goes to sleep and then when she goes to sleep then you leave

Answer 5

My oldest son is 8 and still comes in our room EVERY night. We just make a small little bed on the floor for him. I don't really see what the big deal is. He feels safe in our room and we still have our bed! Eventually they will grow out of it...

Answer 6

Discipining your daughter is your job, not your boyfriend's.  He isn't her father, he isn't her stepfather, he is only the man you sleep with.  And he is right, he doesn't have the right to discipline her.  The last thing she needs in her room is a television, that leads to sleep disorders in children and you would have a worse time of getting her to sleep than you do now and she would start having emotional problems as well as social problems.  What she needs is for you to continue putting her back into her bed everytime she gets up, over and over and over and over and over and over and over, eventually she will understand that you are not going to allow her to sleep on the couch.  

Answer 7

try these things..

1. explain to her that big girls sleep in big girl beds...and tell her if she sleeps in her bed for the night youll give her a present (and make it a present that she'll really want)

2. try laying with her on her bed and telling her youll sleep there with her. rub her back til she falls alseep then sneak out, usually once they're asleep they dont wake up and when she wakes up in the morning and sees that sleeping in her bed wasnt so bad she wont mind anymore.

3. i dont know when she turns 4 but a parent that i know told their daughter that once your 4 you have to sleep in your own bed without mommy and she completely believed it and never asked any questions.

hope this helped!!