sleeping with grandma

[jac326]

I leave with my parents and my son is 5 yrs old and wakes up in the middle of the night and goes in my mom's room.  I have told him not to disturb them and I also have told my mother not to allow him to go in there room. My son continue to do this even after being punished several times. My mother continues to baby him and go against my wishes.  There is more to this but I will ask one question at a time.  All I want is for my son to stop acting like such a baby but the time is coming where I will be moving out and there will be no grandma to wakeup.  He is not scared he just really thinks he is grandma's baby. I don't think it is fair to my 6 yr daughter that he is favored.  She is constantly asking why he is being allowed to sleep with grandma.

[Kevin Kennedy, Ph.D.]

It would help your son if you and his grandmother were on the same page, so to speak, about this. It's understandable that young children will sometimes want to go into the parents' (or grandparents') room when they wake up at night. But, the best approach is to disallow this, and to patiently and supportively guide the child back to his bed. It's not helpful to him to frame his behavior as 'acting like a baby'. Try to be sensitive to how he views the situation, and be gentle and patient, not rejecting, as you set limits on the behavior. It sounds like the basic problem concerns the relationship between you and your mother, and hopefully the two of you can come together on a sensible plan for the sake of your son.

[karizmaflip]

sit down and talk to your mom about this. explain to her that it is not fair, and that your other child is feeling left out. maybe she will listen and if not keep trying.