On Strike
My son is on an anti-sleep campaign for the past week or two. I mean, fighting it tooth and nail to go to bed at night when it used to be as easy as just laying him down and kissing him goodnight.
Last night it took physical restraint and a temper-tantrum that lasted nearly two hours to get him to finally doze off. It's not good for him, it's not good for me, and I'm not sure how to fix it. This mother is now researching some new sleep strategies.
Everyone knows that we've co-slept with him since he came home from the hospital. At first out of necessity during the hurricane evacuation/homeless/transient phase of our lives when none of us had a bed, and then just out of convenience while breastfeeding, and then out of routine and the fact that (I more than)he needed the cuddle time together that we missed out on during the workday. But I'm starting to think that, at 17 months today, it might be time to start phasing out this habit and allowing him, and us, the pleasure of our own beds.
Yes, I know that this is going to be a hard routine to break, and honestly, I could care less if he slept with us for the next 10 years. I love having my little boy cuddled up to my chest with his soft little curls tickling my nose all night. And he finds comfort in us being there for him at all times. But I suppose that at some point I'm going to beed to start introducing new options to him, and since his schedule is already screwed up right now, why not throw another wrench in the works?
So tonight I'm going to give it a shot. For the first time in his life, he might actually sleep in his crib. Hey, at least I can say it got ONE use, eh?
Any suggestions out there from the parents on how to best transition a child from one routine to another with the least amount of stress and anxiety?
And no, I'm not one of those parents that buys into the "cry it out" routine. Perhaps it's because I remember my own unanswered and lonely middle-of-the-night crying jags as a kid and I don't ever want my child to feel as alone and unloved as I remember feeling at those moments. And I'm big enough to admit that it's probably a downfall to my own parenting, but I intend on sheltering my kid from everything in the world for as long as possible.
Anyway, off to give this a shot. Wish me luck, eh?
posted by Mommyleek @ 8:33 PM
3 comments
3 Comments:
I met a person once who impressed upon me the fact that whatever she wanted to accomplish in her life, she would and anything thus far that she had wanted she had gotten, well by and large from a life of affluence but a good measure by her own resourcefulness as well. "Crafty," would describe her well. If I were to pose this question to her I bet she would say something like this, Ang:
Disassemble the bed and show him it's no longer there. Do this for a couple of nights, putting it together when it's time for yourself and your husband to sleep.
Granted, a grandiose way of dealing with a small behavioral problem - but she told me stories like this one night that seem like they would include my suggestion in her arsenal.
Who knows, maybe you need to approach it from a minimalist perspective instead of what I've suggested, hon.
I dunno.
I've never had kids.
Thanks for your comments at my blog site today and have an awesome weekend.
*HUGS*
I forgot to wish ya luck, hon.
GOOD LUCK!
:-)
Heh, considering my bed is a platform bed connected to a 9 ft headboard containing two sets of drawers, I don't think I'll be packing it away anytime soon, but I admire the creative approach here. Certainly if the bed were gone he'd have to find alternative sleeping arrangements, eh?
Last night was a total flop. Two minutes in his crib before I gave in and took him out. He fell asleep rather quickly once I held him, and then I put him back in his own bed, only to retrieve him again about three hours later when he woke up alone and hysterical.
Oh well, small steps, eh? We'll get there eventually. It'd probably be easier if I were truly ready myself for him to be a big boy. The reality is, they're only little once, and the day will come soon enough when he wants nothing to do with me.
Thanks for your thoughts on this. They're much appreciated.
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