Kids sharing a room part time?
hterry85
member
DD (just turned one) and SS (four) share a room when SS is with us everyone other weekend. Since DD started sleeping in her crib at about 6 months we've had little to no problems. She only fights going to sleep if she's sick or teething or something, otherwise she goes right down. OR unless SS is there. Then it's a nightmare.
We usually try to put her to bed first, but she just stands and screams knowing he is still out in the other room. (She LOVES her bother lol) This can go on for an hour or more (I do go in a lay her back down, I don't just ignore her for an hour) and he needs to get to bed too so it can't go on all night. We've tried putting them to bed at the same time, and even SS first, it's no different.
What usaully ends up happening after DD screams forever, I take her into our room and lay down with her (which makes her think it's playtime and I still spend another good hour getting her to go to sleep) so SS can go to bed. It ends up being 10 before we get both kids asleep. And with as early as I get up during the week, I go to bed right after DD, so weekends after they are in bed is really the only time DH and I have together.
I think if SS were with us full time, or at least stayed over more often, she would get used to it. But that solution obviously isn't available. Any ideas of anything else we can try??
Re: Kids sharing a room part time?
Can she lay down in his bed for awhile? You could read to both of them. Some of my fav. pics of the boys are in bed, cuddling, reading. Older SS would read to LO from when he was itty bitty. We'd prop him up on the pillow next to SS.
Even now, some nights LO wants to visit the other boys' beds before going to his own, whether they're in there or not.
I'm guessing your DD is similar: she's in a crib and there's some allure to the "big boy" bed.
That's a good idea! He is still in a toddler bed (one of those cool ones that look like a race car lol) and she LOVES to climb on it and plays on it all the time.
Anything is worth a shot at this point!
You know, I wish I had more advice for you. Our LOs are close in age. DS is 14mo, and SD is 4yo. They also share a room, too. Before we had complete custody of SD, she was with us every other week, but DS never noticed much. SD is a heavy sleeper, so even before he was sleeping through the night, I moved him into her room. We developed a strong, steady sleep routine and good habits very early on.
But lately, with his teething getting worse, he is having a harder time going down. We have been doing things strictly by CIO since DS was about 4mo. I never go in and get him anymore. Period. I will check on him and make sure he hasn't gotten a leg caught in his crib bars or anything, but I don't get him back up. We have occasionally had nights when he will cry for an hour. But in those cases, I might give him a fresh cold teether to replace one he went to bed with or give him some ibuprofen if it really seems to be that his gums are getting no relief. If I have to go in to him, I do what I have to do, say goodnight, and walk out. I don't pick him up or let him get back out. I normally lay him down at 7pm, and SD doesn't go to bed until 8:30, so he definitely well asleep by the time she goes to bed, though most of the time he is asleep before 15 minutes is up.
As far as your SS's presence being the factor throwing things off balance, it's quite possible. But I would think that a steady bedtime routine and not giving in and letting anyone get out of bed would eventually even things out. If worse comes to worse, is it possible you could let SS fall asleep on the couch or "camp out" when DD is having a bad night? It's not ideal, but there are certain sacrifices that have to be made when young children share a room.
And I'm sure there are some other moms out there that could offer some better advice than me.