Getting my daughter to sleep in her own bed has been a struggle over the past several years. I truly feel each parenting situation is unique and sometimes co-sleeping with your child is planned. Our parenting plan did not include our daughter sleeping in our bed and I have tried so many different ways to get her comfortable in her own room. She quickly learned how to get anything she wanted with the promise of trying to sleep in her room. Did you catch that? “Trying” to sleep in her room. We can’t be upset when the expectation is simply attempting to do her best.
A couple of years ago she told me she would definitely sleep in her own room if she had a “stuffy monster.” She explained it was a nice monster that kept all the other monsters out of her room at night. When I asked where she learned about it she told me she had seen it at Target. I suggested we go and buy it immediately and in her sweet little three year old voice she responded, “maybe tomorrow.” Fully knowing there was no stuffy monster at Target I asked her to draw a picture of it so I could create the nice monster that would have her sleeping in her own room.
My daughter drew a picture of the monster and I got to work at my sewing machine. I consulted her every step of the way to make sure we were getting the monster just right.
She selected a green striped fabric and blue thread for the face of the monster.
Then we added an orange eye, white ears, and a smile.
Yarn for hair, blue legs, and rainbow stars on the back were all selections made by my daughter. I sewed the pieces together and she helped stuff the monster before her new friend was complete.
She loved her new “stuffy monster” but he quickly found a new home in her toy box. Although the new friend didn’t convince her to sleep in her own bed, I love that I have a keepsake of her creativity.
Years later my daughter is still sleeping in my bed but we are continuing to work on getting her comfortable in her own room.