COMING INTO THE BED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT

MY TWO YEAR OLD CLIMBS OUT OF HIS BED AND INTO MY HUSBAND AND MY BED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT.  WE HAVE TRIED PUTTING HIM BACK INTO HIS BED BUT HE RETURNS. ONE OF US SLEEPS WITH HIM IN HIS BED UNTIL HE FALLS ASLEEP BUT HE ALWAYS SEEMS TO COME BACK INTO OUR BED AT NIGHT. DO YOU HAVE ANY SUGGESTIONS FOR US?  WE NEED OUR REST AND THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON SINCE OUR NEW SON WAS BORN THREE MONTHS AGO.  HELP PLEASE!

[Kevin Kennedy, Ph.D.]

You'll have to be resolute and continue to return him to his bed. You removed him from his crib at too young an age, and this complicates the problem you now face. However, if you persist and do not defer to your son, he can change this behavior. The key will be your response. It will help to reward him for those nights when he remains in his own bed (include those times he returns upon coming in to you). The key is to be absolutley firm that he cannot be with you during the night. Staying with him until he falls asleep poses a problem, because he then relies on your presence to feel secure and comfortable. That is not a situation you want to perpetuate. The goal is to have him fall asleep on his own.