Most of the questions related to children cause us a lot of fear, how and what is better to do, to do without the screams and tantrums. In fact, most of the so-called problems are not so difficult, because the main problem is born in our heads because of friends and acquaintances “but we have”, “it will be very difficult,” “and I was so sorry. Add bitterness different forums, where nothing to do like to sit young mothers. So first I want to tell all the parents – relax and do not listen to anyone. After all, “horror stories” you can always come up with, and you can too.
At what age is better to move the child into a separate room?
Let’s immediately determine the age of the child. Of course there are some unique children who sleep separately from birth, but I can not imagine how comfortable it is for mothers – first to constantly walk to the baby, then constantly get up to check how he is there (and do not walk a couple of meters). At night these distances are quite tangible.
The age of the baby for the big event will be different for everyone. For example, my sister’s both children moved into their rooms only at age 5, and were very surprised to learn that our child at 2.4 already safely sleeps alone. “How? Really? It’s so difficult, ours did not agree to it!”. And it was because of such words from friends and relatives, and I was afraid of this, but I made myself another conclusion: do not listen to anyone. If you know your child, you won’t have any problems with any of these important baby steps.
Well, there is no ideal age for relocation. After all, all children are different. But some abilities and skills the child still need to learn until they acquire a separate room. It’s necessary not only for the child, but also for the parents’ peace of mind.
My child was ready to move in at 2.4 years old, and literally in a week with the tactics chosen, everything worked out. No screaming, no noise, no yelling, no desire to go back to her parents’ room.
The main conditions for relocation were.
- The child is not afraid to stay without his mother and can safely do it on their own. If the baby is not yet able to separate from his mother, it will not be possible to move the baby. First you have to wait until the baby starts to play independently and spend time alone (in the room, of course, and not alone in the apartment). If we arrange to move to this moment, not only will the baby not move, but he will drag this moment out to the last minute with his cries and tantrums.
- You weaned the baby from diapers at night sleep. Of course you can wean the baby after moving, but in this case we are talking about the convenience of mom, as night puddles the first few weeks just can’t be avoided. And go to the baby a couple of meters away from you, and check for dryness is much more convenient. Especially since the first crib will be smaller in size, and thus the laundry will be less. How to wean a child to sleep in diapers can be read here.
- The baby stopped drinking formula at night and at night, or you have finished breastfeeding. Again we refer this point to the mother, as it is more convenient to get up to the child if he sleeps nearby, and it is also easier to hear his demands in the same room. The second reason – children are much more likely to pee at night if they drink anything at night. So a quiet night is the absence of GV or formula. How to wean a baby from the formula can be read in a separate article.
- The baby sleeps relatively peacefully and wakes up very rarely at night. If the baby does not pee at night, does not drink formula to get up to potty, feels good and does not have any specific diseases, then sleep should be sound and all night long. Some babies still quite a long time demands attention at night, waking up for their own reasons. But if your baby sleeps soundly – he will definitely not need you at night.
- The baby knows how to go to the potty or call mom at night in case of emergency and feels comfortable doing so. Your baby’s ability not to panic if he or she finds himself or herself alone in the dark is also important. In this case, the baby needs to organize a light next to the crib and teach it to use it, so it can turn it on by itself if necessary. It is also important that the baby knows how to call mom for help, and even better to go potty on their own at night.
- A comfortable place for your child to sleep with the ability to quickly turn on the light if necessary. A comfortable place means a cozy corner, the child should like it. Be sure at the beginning of the presence of the edge, so that the child does not fall out of the crib and night light, which you teach your child to use.
- The child is feeling well, not sick. Of course, at the time of relocation, the child should feel well.
How to organize relocation comfortably if you have just moved or have been living in an apartment with a spare room for a long time
Step 1: Divide the territory
How exactly to organize relocation and where to start? Let’s analyze it item by item. The first important step is to move all of your child’s belongings and toys into his or her room. And any attempt to play in his mom’s room should be suppressed immediately – go play in your room. Stacking things and create separate children’s shelves in the parents’ room is no longer allowed.
Of course, most of the time you will now have to spend in the room, as young children play independently, but the presence of an adult for some questions and a little inclusion in the game are just as important.
Step 2. Make a cozy place to sleep
A cozy place to sleep can be different, taking into account your child’s preferences. In our case, it is a large full bed with a rim and a random canopy, which created a wonderful cozy nest for a nap.
In addition, the child should be offered to choose their own fun bedding, pillow, and a nice blanket. It is important that the baby does it himself.
If the child sleeps with his favorite toys, then the first night of the relocation you should tell him that his favorite toys decided to go to sleep with his friends. The child will not want to part with their toys. The second option – to offer your child to put stuffed toys next to them in the crib and cover them with a blanket. These kinds of role-playing games are very appealing to children.
Next, be sure to create your own nighttime ritual, so that the child associates sleep with this place and crib – it may be reading favorite books, stories with a projector on the wall or ceiling, listening to an audio story or quiet melodies. Our case is half an hour of reading books, laying all the animals next to each other, and then a light massage on the baby’s hands and feet.
Step 3: Be sure to leave the old crib until the baby is finally moved in!
Children are very attached to things, so in no case do not remove the old crib until the baby finally moved in! Moreover, do not even talk about your plans in front of your child, as simple words can ruin your entire preparation.
The child needs to know and understand that he is not kicked out of the room, his crib has remained in the same place and in case he can return to it. Disassemble and remove the old bed after 1-2 weeks, after the child gets used to the new place.
What if the child has had his own room for a long time, but sleeps in a room with his parents?
If the child has long had his own playroom, but he still sleeps with Mom and Dad, then the tactics are almost no different from those already described. In this case, you must buy a new bed, which will mean something new, something to which the child is not yet accustomed, otherwise the standing crib or couch will not associate the child with sleep, but only with the usual games. Next, you should also do a relocation of all the things and toys. If the child sleeps with his parents, then a decent portion of children’s things live in their room.
You should also offer the child to choose new bedding, put away toys and of course do it all with a good mood in a playful way.