Should I sleep in a separate room from my child? How old is a child when he or she should sleep in a separate room? Different families have different perceptions and practices about when it is better to sleep in separate rooms with their children. Some children are still clinging to their parents when they reach the age of 5-6. In fact, it is best for children to sleep alone after the age of 3. Some experts point out that if children sleep with their parents for a long time, it is likely to lead to premature sexual maturity of the child.
1, the parents sleep with too long easily trigger precocious sexual maturity
If a child sleeps in the same bed with his parents for a long time, he will inevitably come into contact with his parents’ body, and for a 2-year-old child, this touch may produce the psychological feeling of safety and warmth. But for an older child, there may be a natural physiological reaction, and sex between parents also has a negative impact on the child.
Many parents are afraid that their children will sleep alone at night or sleep uncomfortable, they will put their children into a big bed with their own sleep, for small children may have certain benefits, but for older children need to avoid, so as not to adversely affect their physical and mental health.
2.How old do children have to sleep in separate beds?
Since parents are not suitable for long-term co-bedding with children, but children are too small to sleep and easy to kick the quilt, when is it more appropriate to sleep in bed with the baby? If a child sleeps in the same bed with parents, it is best to sleep in separate beds with parents before the child is 3 years old. Children around 3 years old already have the first gender awareness, that is to say they can distinguish whether they are a boy or a girl, which is an important stage in the child’s psychological development. Children at this stage have a sense of independence and a certain ability to take care of themselves, and are able to dress and undress themselves.
If the child is always dependent on the parents, it will hinder the development of the child’s independence. At first, the baby may be afraid of the dark or for various reasons do not want to sleep in separate beds with their parents, it is recommended that the mother talk to the baby before going to bed or tell him a story, and leave a small night light when sleeping at night, so that the child will feel more secure.
3, children sleep in separate beds have many benefits
Bed-sharing can cultivate children’s ability to live independently, so that children realize that they are “grown up” and learn to do some things that they can do, such as making preparations before going to bed, covering themselves, getting up in the morning by themselves. After getting used to taking care of themselves, children will be more receptive to other behavioral norms, which is helpful in forming an independent personality. And bed-sharing can make children overcome the fear of darkness, fear of monsters, become more brave, do not rely on others Oh!
4, parents and children to avoid excessive physical contact
In life we often see children almost as tall as their mothers, but they are still asked to hold hands with their mothers, or kiss them on the cheek. Although it is said that the son and mother good feelings, but if the child has grown up or too much intimacy, which tends to produce a dysfunctional attachment. When the child grows up, the mother should appropriately reduce the intimate behavior, such as too much kissing, hugging or touching the body and so on. Perhaps the baby may feel for a moment that the mother does not love him anymore, so they do not want to hug him. Although the mother should pay more attention to the child too much intimate behavior, but still to allow the baby can feel your love and care, so as not to deprive the child of a sense of security.
So it is advisable for the mother to gradually reduce the behavior instead of stopping it suddenly. Let the child gradually realize that he or she has slowly grown up and does not need his or her mother to treat him or her like a baby, even so, the mother still loves him or her, which can also be a good way to dilute the attachment to the mother and help the child’s normal psychosexual development.
Separate sleep with the child, master these few skills will become easy
1, from the bed does not share a room to start
If you are accustomed to sleeping with your mother, you will be insecure and fearful if you let your child sleep by himself too quickly. The mother can start by sharing the bed without sharing the room, so that the child can slowly adapt and transition.
2. Put your child’s familiar toys and bedding on the bed
It may be unfamiliar and unsettling for your child to sleep alone in a new room at once, so your mother can arrange the toys your child usually plays with in the room and lay out the bedding your child usually uses.
3. Accompany your child to sleep and tell stories in his or her room before bedtime
Before going to bed, it is best for the mother to accompany the child in the room, telling the child stories, playing games and whispering, so that the child feels that even if the room is separated, the mother is still the loving mother and the child is still loved, which is more conducive to their acceptance of the fact that they sleep separately from their mother.
For children with strong attachment and children who are prone to loneliness, you can caress them more before going to sleep, stay with them for a while, tell them nice stories to make them sleep happily, and often go to take care of them at night so that they do not feel foxed. In the initial stage of bed-sharing, if the child is afraid of the dark, you can put a night light next to the bed, and then turn it off after he or she has gradually adapted.
4.Ensure safety
Let the child sleep alone, pay attention to the bed from the ground not too high, to ensure that the child in case of accidentally fall to the ground also no danger. If a mother is worried that her child will kick the blanket, she can choose suitable pajamas for him and choose different thicknesses of the blanket as the temperature changes.
5.Children are not soft
Just bed-sharing, some children in the parents took a lot of work to settle him, but a turn and ran to the parents’ bed, or woke up in the middle of the night sneak into the parents’ bed and do not leave. When this happens, parents should not be soft, or they will lose all their efforts. Parents should patiently persuade the child back to their own bed, and more words of encouragement, really can not, can be with the child back to sleep before leaving.