I sit here, late at night after the girls are sound asleep, writing this post. After 5+ years of co-sleeping, I believe that phase of our lives has come to an end. (That sweet baby above is Kaylee sleeping on my chest – I will miss these days.)
It was less than 2 months ago when I shared that Zoë started sleeping in her own bed – by her own choice – right before her 5th birthday. Well, a few weeks ago I set up the girls’ sun tent in their room for them to play in and Kaylee decided to start sleeping in it rather than our bed. I mean, what little girl doesn’t want to have a shadow party before bed every night, right?
Both Kaylee and Zoë were starting to get a little frustrated with the lack of play space in their room due to the tent, so I gently suggested that maybe Kaylee should sleep in her bed and I’d clean up the tent. To my surprise, she agreed without hesitation. We’re on night number 3 of her sleeping in her own bed. Of course, some mornings, she comes in and snuggles with me still – but the bulk of her sleep is in her own bed now.
The reason I say that co-sleeping was the best sleep training method for us is simply because the girls go to bed without too much hassle now, and they are literally asleep within a few minutes of me turning off the light.
I remember lying in bed in the dark as a child for what seemed like a long time – often feeling alone and scared. I believe that because the girls felt safe sleeping with us for so long, now they can feel safe sleeping in their own beds.
We didn’t have to cry it out or sleep train in any way. Both girls made the decision to sleep in their own beds when they were ready. It happened naturally, just like I hoped that it would.
Parenting definitely has its ups and downs, so it is re-assuring having these small moments where you realize you have been making the right decisions for your babies.
Time Flies: Our Chickens Are Already 6 Weeks Old!