How to Teach Children to Sleep Alone

Poor sleep or poor quality sleep can indeed trigger tantrums, fussing, and other negative behaviors in children. Poor quality sleep in children can be caused by various things, such as an uncomfortable bed environment, hot room temperatures, snoring, or other noisy sounds.

An uncomfortable sleeping environment can of course be affected because children sleep together with both parents or often referred to as Co-Sleeping. The Co-Sleeping effect is still a matter of debate among parents. However, apart from the pros and cons, children must indeed be taught to sleep on their own.

Many parents find it difficult to teach children to sleep on their own. Now, don't worry, parents, here are some surefire tricks you can do to make your child want to sleep alone:

Tips for Making Children Want to Sleep Alone

√ Prepare your mentality

Why should mental Parents be prepared? Yes, mental Parents do have to be prepared to be able to sleep separately with children. Some Parents may feel very comfortable sleeping next to the child and feel unable to let go of the child to sleep alone. For that, Parents must prepare themselves.

Instill in your mind that children do not always sleep in the same bed. If you feel you have lost enough time with your child, then arrange another time together. For example, multiply playing time with children, invite children to prepare dinner together, and other activities that you can create at home.

Once you are ready to let your child sleep alone, then you must be consistent with the decisions that have been taken. Do not until after you ask the child to sleep alone, you secretly accompany the child to sleep at night.

√ Explain to Children

Before the child sleeps alone, he also needs to know when the situation occurs. This is so that children have their own preparations. Tell the reason why the child must sleep alone. For example, say that "Children do have to sleep alone to get good rest and can grow up healthy and strong."

√ Create Bedtime Routines Before Sleeping

Bedtime routines are important for children. Bedtime routines such as brushing your teeth, reading storybooks, or telling daily activities help the child get ready to go to bed.

√ Create Distance with Children

While you do the routine of sleeping together with the child, it also creates distance from the child. For example, when you read a storybook, you can read it while sitting next to a child's bed.

At first, the child may protest, but just say that you are more comfortable reading a storybook while sitting beside the bed and not reading while lying next to the child.

Increase your distance with children day by day. If at the beginning you are reading a storybook in a child's bed, by the bedside, then start to leave the child briefly to another room. For example, say to children "Adek read the book yourself first, mama want to go to the bathroom for a while, later mama come back here again".

This way is one good way to teach children to sleep alone. This is because you offer a process to the child. The child is not immediately allowed to sleep alone in his room, but the child is taught slowly to sleep alone.

√ Give Your Children Favorite Items

Giving children a favorite item to accompany their own time to sleep is also a pretty good way. Favorite objects such as dolls, blankets, bolsters, and even pillows can be used to bridge the new environment and the child's favorite figure, namely parents. Don't worry too much if your child gets too attached to their favorite objects.

What if the child experiences tantrums, fussing, and even crying every time the sleep process is done?

Yes, children are full of energy and emotions. The sleeping practice itself that you teach your child, of course, will not be as smooth as estimates. Some things can make your child finally go back to sleep with you. For that, you must be firm and consistent.

Bring back the child to sleep in his bed. Tell him you stay by his bed until he is asleep. Do not be easily persuaded by the child's cry. It is indeed difficult to remain firm and consistent with children to want to sleep alone. However, understand that you do this only for the sake of children so that they can be independent. That's why you need to be mentally prepared from the start.

How long do children need to sleep alone?

Each child has a different character. Some children are easy to be independent, some children tend to be a little spoiled or always stick to their parents. Thus, the time needed to practice sleep alone can be different for each child. Do it for 1 or 2 weeks. However, if your child needs more time, then no problem. Use your best time to train your child to sleep alone.