7 yr old sleeps with parents

My 7 yr old currently sleeps with me & my husband. She has always slept with us. I have been trying to get her to sleep in her own bed, but she is not interested no matter what rewards are offered to her. For about the past 2 mths, I have been making her go to sleep in her own bed. She cries & begs, but eventually she falls asleep. She only sleeps about 1 hr & then she comes & gets in the bed with me. What do I need to do? This is a very hard battle to win. She worries about everything. So when I put her to bed, she comes up with all sorts of things that could happen while she is in her bed alone. This is a tiresome nightly ritual for all of us. I need to know if this is normal & how do I get her to go to bed peacefully & STAY in her bed during the night. Thanks.

[Kevin Kennedy, Ph.D.]

No, it is not regarded as normal. You have to set a firm limit and stick to it. You're being wishy-washy about this, telling your daughter she should be sleeping in her own bed and then letting her sleep with you. She will change when you change. You've got to take charge if this is going to be solved. If you have the expectation it will be peaceful, it's best that you adjust your expectation. You're going to have to bite the bullet.