3 year old will not sleep in a bed, sleeps on the floor!

[Kristina]

My son will be 3 in Feb.
I took him out of the crib when he was almost 2 years old. I put him in a twin size bed and he slept in it just fine for a few months then he started sleeping on the floor and till this day he still sleeps on the floor.
Why is he doing this?
Should I get him a smaller bed?
Also he always comes into my room in the middle of the night and crawls into bed with me, I try and put him back in his room but he always comes back to mine.
How can I stop this and get him to sleep in his room and in his own bed?
Thanks for any help you can give me!

[Kevin Kennedy, Ph.D.]

Dear Kristina,

A mistake many parents make is to take the child out of the crib too soon, and you did this. It generally results in problems. But, now that your son is out of his crib, you will have to be resolute in having him sleep in his own room/bed. Some children do prefer sleeping on the floor, and you can make a comfortable arrangement for this, chiefly by using a mattress on the floor, without the bed. One way or the other, the key will be setting firm and unyielding limits on his coming to you - only you can see to this. At this point, I wouldn't put money into purchasing a new bed. That can come later when your son has become more comfortable sleeping in his own room.

[Kyle's Mom]

A girl I work with has a child that will not sleep in his bed - and he is 17!  Another does not spend a full night in her bed but ends up in her parents bed.  So I don't think this is a really bad problems.  I think the answer here is a good one - start out with a matress on the floor and work your way up.  

At least he sleeps by himself.  My 6 yr old is afraid of having nightmares and won't sleep by himself. We even let him pick out new bunk beds, a night light he liked, a TV for his room but no go.  I still have to sleep with him. So count your blessings.

[JENISE RUSH]

SOMETHING I FOUND THAT HAS HELPED WITH MY TWO YEAR OLD IS BEING CONSISTANT AND FAIR .I FEEL A TODDLER NEEDS TIME TO UNWIND AT NIGHT TO PREPARE FOR BED USUALLY START AN HOUR BEFORE BED HE WILL HAVE THAT DESENATED TIME EACH EVENING WHERE HE HAS MY MY FULL UNDIVED ATTNTION WE READ DO PUZZLES PLAY MEMORY CARD GAMES PRACTICE GROOMING SKILLS ETC......WE DO THIS EVERY NIGHT THIS GIVES HIM TIME WITH ME,TIME TO UNWIND,AND TIME TO PREPARE HIMSELF FOR BED.HE LOOKS FORWARD TO THIS SPECAIL TIME AND IS COMPLETELY RELAXED AND READY FOR BED.WE DONT ALLOW HIM TO SLEEP IN BED WITH US .SOMETIMES WHEN CHILDREN HAVE FEARS ITS REALLY THE ADULTS THAT MAKE THE ISSUE BIGGER THAN IT IS .EVENTUALLY YOUR SON WILL SLEEP IN HIS BED.IF HE HAS A PROBLEM AT NIGHT DONT LET HIM COME TO BED WITH YOU IT COULD BE SHOWING HIM YOU AGREE WITH THE NEED TO LEAVE HIS ROOM THE CHILD NEEDS TO KNOW HIS ROOM IS SAFE POSITIVE AND OKAY ALWAYS .A WAY TO HELP HIM TO THINK THAT WAY IS TO SHOW IT BY PUTTING HIM BACK TO BED MAYBE READING A BOOK AND LEAVING TRYING NOT TO RETURN DONT UNDERDUE OR OVERDUE THE ISSUE OR SOLUTION GOOD LUCK