I beat mum by 5 minutes!

I recalled how I taught my daughter, Lv to sleep in her own room. She was 4 years old then. I started with telling her bedtime story and I promised her that I will stay in bed with her until she dozed off. Initially, i had to read 4 or 5 story books before she got really tired and dozed off. Many occasions I was the one who dozed off first!!

After days of "persistence", she finally dozed off before i could even finish 1 story book. As she grew older, I let her read story books on her own. Once in a while, she will read me a bedtime story, or we will read our story books together. The idea is make her less and less dependent on me. Soon, I don't read bedtime story to her but I will stay in bed with her until she dozed off.
Then, the hardest part comes... "how to detach myself totally".

One day, a friend shared with me her "successful plan"! It really works.

One night I told my girl this:

"Mummy is a bit busy in the kitchen preparing for the potluck lunch tomorrow. So, can u do me one little favour? U sleep now and I will visit you in 5 minutes time."

She bought my lie...

The next day, i told her:

"Wow! u did a great thing yesterday. So, lets do it again. U sleep now, I will be just outside and I will visit you in 5 minutes time."

Goodbye kiss, I off the light and went off. She did it again.

The next day, i told her the same thing. she was smarter then, she said to me :

"Mum, 5 minutes equals to 300 seconds and that is very long time. " Ha! Since when she can do 3 digits multiplication!!

So, we renegotiated our deal.

We agreed at 3 minutes per visit.

How it Works?

• Make a lie ... well, ask for a favour to sleep alone for one night.

• Visit at 5 minutes interval for the first 2 nights This will give him / her comfort that you keep to your promise.

Prolonged the 5 minutes visit. How long per visit depends on kids, preferably when you visit him / her, your child should have dozed off by then.

• Praise him / her for being a good the next day.

• Be FIRM. At times when v tug them to bed, they will hold our hands, pull our skirts just to make us stay in bed with them. Don't ever get "cheated" by this.

• Goodbye kiss, switch off the lights and just go!

It took just a few days, soon it becomes an achievement to your child that I beat mum by 5 minutes! Now, I am glad that Lv no longer needs my company going to bed. She sleeps on her own in her very own bed, in her very own room.

What Expert Says...

http://www.parents.com/toddlers/sleep/101/stress-free-guide-to-bedtime-/