Friday, September 09, 2005

Creating a Monster Indeed

I have to take a moment to thumb my nose at every book and well intentioned individual who said that we mustn't co-sleep with Kellan because we would create a monster and still have him in our bed six years on. Kellan slept with us from the week that we brought him home until he was 18 months old. He moved into his own room and bed in one night without a single bit of fuss or fight, without a whine or whimper. He has been in his bed all night, every night, since the move 10 days ago and we've never slept more peacefully. All of us. So there!

6 comments:

RAY DILLON said...

Bravo! ;o)

Forget all those kooky books and their parenting advice. I think it's more organic than that.

Although some people definitely do struggle with it. I saw a show the other night called "Nanny 911" and THEY had a monster. Good grief. this kid was screaming until he nearly puked and kicking and hitting. I really couldn't believe that the parents were just sitting there and not scolding him for that.

Anyway, off on a rant there. Congrats on being a good parent. ;o)

Anonymous said...

So glad to read the transition to his own bed went well! We moved our daughter from our bed to her own bed when she was about a year (she never took to the crib) and not only did she stopped waking to nurse at night, she is pretty much sleeping through the night quite well (16 months old now). she actually started sleeping thru the night but then we went on vacation...Anyway, I agree, forget the books, we just are letting her set her own pace on these things...weaning, too--she nurses at bedtime and at naptime and that is it now--and most nights I get to sleep quite well for a nice long stretch!

Anonymous said...

didn't mean to be anonymous....

Nicola said...

Ray, I never understand how parents let it get to that point. Its not the bedtime issue per se, but the entire parenting style that isn't working. I'm sure that similar tantrums ensue at mealtimes, shopping times, playtimes, and so forth. They just tend to pick on bedtime in those programmes and treat it as the issue of all issues. Which then makes people believe that if you don't "do bedtime right" (ie by the book), you'll be in big trouble down the line.

Sarah, sounds like bliss, sleeping the night. We're not there yet, he's still nursing twice each night, but that's a lot better than where we were recently pushing each other all out of bed and waking up every half hour. I just go into his room to nurse him so that at least Nic isn't disturbed. We're also letting him self wean, as is natural, and since he still nurses *many* times each day, I don't see that happening any time soon. Which is good, as nursing is the only lazy parenting that I permit myself (cures pain, cures upsets, cures sleeplessness) and I want to hang on to it!

RAY DILLON said...

Actually ... it was because he wanted two cookies instead of one.

I really couldn't believe what I was seeing.

RAY DILLON said...

And that was in the middle of the day after he had already eating cookies.