91/2 yr old son wont sleep in his bed

[SELLIOTT1967]

My son will simply not sleep in his bed.  He wants to sleep on the couch or in my bed.  Last night he slept on the floor by my bed because I told him he could not sleep with me.  He tries to go to sleep in his bed, but during the day makes comments about not being able to and fearing that he will not be able to sleep in his bed.  I have reasoned with him, taught him relaxing techniques, begged, threatened and even pleaded for him to just stop...the other night I sat in a chair in his room, and within 5 minutes he was asleep.  Last night I laid in his bed for 15 minutes or so but he still did not fall asleep.  I am at a loss, if he sleeps in my bed or on the couch he sleeps fine...but he will not (can not?) sleep in his own bed in his own room?  And he gets himself so worked up about this that it affects him during the day...he gets sad when he thinks about it and gets bummed out.   We had him on Concerta for ADD for about a year with no problems,  but then we took him off of it because he would start to cry for no reason and and had started having sleep problems...he would not get to sleep until 2-3 in the morning, but would sleep in his bed...after we took him off the meds, he started sleeping good for about 5 weeks...now he wont sleep in his bed at all!!!  Help!!!

[rachie663]

My nine-year old daughter has always slept with me. She gets a better sleep and so do I. If she wakes up with a nightmare she goes right back to sleep because I am right there beside her and I don't have to get out of bed. I think it's just natural for most kids to not be able to sleep alone. Don't worry about pressure from other people. They don't have your child.

[rjb999]

Just got back from my Grandsons doctor.   While there, my daughter asked the question posted here, His replay was that the cuttoff age for sleeping with the mother or parents is about 6 years old.

The child should be put into his/her own bed.  IF THEY FUSS, a parent should setup a sleeping blanket or a cott next to the childs bed, to assure them that they are safe and when they fall asleep, the parents should go back to their own room.  He stated that, this usually will go on for only a week or two.  By then the child should feel safe sleeping in their own room.  Once in a while you may have to repeat this only if the child is scared or having bad dreams.

So there you are girls.   Time to break that apron string and let you child grow up

BTW:  His doctor has 6 kids of his own.

[answer21]

you should give him a dream catcher.
native americans believed that dream catchers would catch bad dreams if he has bad dreams. but if he just cant sleep, give him a night light and tell him that you are going to be right in the next room. leave his door open with a hallway light on.  refuse to sleep with him and tell him that he is old enough to sleep alone.   tell him that his friends probably sleep alone and he is going to be like a bull in a china shop if he doesnt sleep alone.