When to start helping kids to sleep alone

Generally foreigners make their kids sleep alone from a very early age but we Indians are little emotional for this issue. In India kids share the same room with the parents till they have another sibling.

You can start the process gradually. First for few weeks you can make him sleep in the same room but on a bed little far away from yours. The bed should be attractive and should have railing support to prevent the kid from falling.

Never make the kid sleep with you and then transfer him to his bed later, this puts a feeling of being cheated by him. Better make him lay down on the bed , tell him some stories, read some books till he is fast asleep. If he bed wets do not forget to put a daiper otherwise he will be awake or will keep on sleeping still wet.

Later you can gradually turn him into his room. WHich should be decorated according to his choice and toys so that he enjoys his room. Again never leave the child in the room alone to sleep. Make him sleep and then leave the room. It is said a good night kiss on the forehead of the kid gives a sound sleep to him.

Another important thing is never make a rule that he has to sleep in his room only be little leniant in this. Sometimes make him sleep with you or sometime you can go and share his bed with him.

The job is taxing a little in starting but gradually kid feels comfortable in the room and enjoys sleeping alone and do not feel dejected.

Hope my words make some sense.

Happy parenting.

great ya. sounds good i will ty

This worked for me Ruchika !

best is from day of birth.... smooth transition it becomes.. ie on birth in baby cot.. move to home should be in his/her own cot-space...

ensure when u travel & stay at another place or hotel, u arrange a seperate cot or trave with a small folding bed or pen...  This mean u never introduce and allow the child to make a habit of moving into the parents bed unless of reasons like being very sick or planned sleep dates in parents bed....

trying to make this work in india at a later stage is not easy.. all  the best.

Especially when a second child is expected, it is better to get the first one used to sleeping on their own much before the second one arrives. Else the feeling of being forced to do it to make place for the sibling will make it difficult !

For a child of 4-5 years, we can build up the expectation of a new bed, new stuffed toy to sleep with, new cartoon character bedsheets - all these make it an enjoyable transition for the child and not something like a punishment of them being made to sleep away from parents.