Sleeping Trouble

For quite a while, Blane has been in the habit of coming to our bed in the early morning hours. At first, it was occasional and happened around 5:30 or 6. That time has slowly been moving back and the frequency picked up--it became a nightly event. At the time, it was not a huge deal to me, but we were getting a bit cramped in the queen-sized bed, especially when I would wake up with back pain because I had not been able to change position all night! Scott thought we needed to stop this, and my back agreed.

When Seth was just about Blane's age, we had the same "problem" with him (I don't know if I can call it a real problem, because a cuddly 3 year old is a pretty sweet teddy bear to sleep with). But I was pregnant at the time and it was killing me. We started several months before I delivered and put a little bed pallet on the floor right by my side of the bed. When Seth came in, I directed him to sleep on the pallet. This worked fine, and we gradually moved the pallet towards the door each night. Finally Seth came to the logical conclusion that his bed would be much more comfortable than sleeping on the floor and he stayed in bed. We had a short resurgance after Blane was born (understandable!) but we handled it in the same way with success.

So we prepared for a repeat with Blane. I made the pallet and told him that this is where he would have to sleep if he came in during the night (exceptions were wind and thunderstorms--these are absolutely terrifying to him). He's never taken us up on sleeping there, but he cries out more nights than not and I have to go in there, re-tuck him in, pray for him to "not be scared" and give him a hug. I think it will eventually get better.