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Child Behavior (Expert Forum)
Sleeping in same bed with a parent
Answered by
Kevin Kennedy, Ph.D. - Child and Adolescent Psychotherapy, Family Therapy, Crisis Intervention
Harvard Vanguard Medical Associates
This forum is for questions and support regarding child behavior issues such: Child Discipline (behavior management), Normal Child Development, Parent-Child Communications, Social Development
Sleeping in same bed with a parent
by sihawker, Aug 23, 1999 12:00AM
I have a son who is 6. His mother and I ahve been sepereated since he was 8 months old. He has since slept in the same bed with his mother. I believe I should be very concerned about this. Why? I need to talk with his mom about this but need some advice on how to approach the topic. Please Help
Doctor's Answer
by Kevin Kennedy, Ph.D., Aug 23, 1999 12:00AM
, Aug 23, 1999 12:00AM
Dear Joe,
Most child development and child mental health professionals believe that children of your son's age should sleep in their own beds. This practice promotes a sensible degree of autonomy, independence and separation from parents. Too often, when children are permitted to sleep with their parents, they develop an unusual degree of dependence and tend to become atypically anxious when they have to encounter the everyday separations from parents.
Such children also, for the same reasons, tend to be developmentally immature in their formation of peer relationships. Keep in mind that I am talking about the general situation. This is not to say that there aren't some children who sleep with their parents at the age of six who are also doing fine in relation to their social and emotional development.
Most child development and child mental health professionals believe that children of your son's age should sleep in their own beds. This practice promotes a sensible degree of autonomy, independence and separation from parents. Too often, when children are permitted to sleep with their parents, they develop an unusual degree of dependence and tend to become atypically anxious when they have to encounter the everyday separations from parents.
Such children also, for the same reasons, tend to be developmentally immature in their formation of peer relationships. Keep in mind that I am talking about the general situation. This is not to say that there aren't some children who sleep with their parents at the age of six who are also doing fine in relation to their social and emotional development.
