My 11 year old daughter will not go to sleep on her own!

[clairebear1127]

My 11 year old daughter is having trouble going to sleep on her own. My older daughter and older son have recently gone off to college. So now she is upstairs alone and she thinks that theres someone upstairs with her thats gonna hurt her. She comes downstairs saying she doesnt feel good but me and my husband both now that shes just afraid to sleep upstairs. We sit with her until she falls asleep but she just wakes up when we leave and we have to sit with her again. She usally ends up sleeping on the floor in our room! it gets cold at night so she gets a lot of colds. Also when my husband gets up in the morning to go to work she wakes up and she doesnt get enough sleep. We have tried EVERYTHING! What should we do??????

[teddybears4ever2]

Have you ever thought of getting her a teddy bear, or another stuffed animal?  When you give it to her you can say something like "This is ___(insert name here) and he/she has come to protect you from whatever you are scared of. "

[margypops]

Be firm with her and be consistent, do not sit by her bed for her to go to sleep, let her read with a small light on and leave the light on if she wants to , but tell her that's her room and that's where she must sleep.If she comes to your room send her back, or take her back.She will get it after a few days , if you give in you are back to square one .The floor is winter is too cold so thats not a good idea. Be firm and it will work out .good luck