 | Hello! I personally don't see the problem with what you are doing. I believe that since every family is different, so too are the things that work best for them. Several of the women in my play group have also talked about the grief they catch for having a family bed! Well it sounds as though you are content with the arrangment, and that's what counts. However, should you decide that you want to try and move her out of your bed, this is my only ideas for advice. I haven't had to try the family bed thing, so am I am no expert, but I was just thinking of some of the things that we did with my first son when making the transition from crib to "big boy bed." I don't know if your daughter already has a big bed or not, but when we went to buy his we made a big deal about how special this was, and even let him help choose one. (from the ones that we could afford of course!) If she already has a bed, maybe you could make a celebration out of going to get new special sheets with her favorite cartoon caracter on them.....and maybe grandma would be so thrilled that she would volunteer to buy!! Then you slowly progress to hanging out on the bed in a fun, no pressure type of way.... Reading a book, playing a game or whatever. When she becomes proud of her big bed, then start trying to get her to nap in it. We would go on and on about how big he was and how cool his new bed was, that we wish our bed looked like his. Of course he was only 26mo. at the time, a 4yo. may be to smart to buy into any of that! Since you know your daughter, you could probably think up reasons that would entise her that her own bed would be better for her, not you. Anyhow, at nap time, I would lay down with him if he wanted me to, and then leave after he was asleep. This way he woke up and realized that he was ok, even though he was alone in this big new bed! After a few days he was sleeping days and nights in it with all his favorite sleep animals. I think he loved having so much space to himself, and being able to get up and come to get me if he needed something in the middle of the night. I don't know if this helps, but I thought maybe you could try the same kind of tactics if you decide to move her to her own room.
Shayla |
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