I saw this article pop up on my AOL home page this morning and it tugged at my heart strings at bit. Sheila Quirke writes about how her son has a “hole in the bed” that, at some time during the night, he slips through and ends up in his parents bed. She goes on to write about how her first child, Donna, used to sleep in their bed, as well. That is, until the day she passed away from cancer at far too young an age. It’s a good article. Read it.
My four-year-old sneaks into my bed pretty much every night. I don’t think she even does it consciously any more – it’s just something her body does in the middle of the night. She sleepily walks across the house and climbs into my bed. She squeezes in and fits perfectly into the crook of my arm. I don’t even know she’s there until I wake up in the morning and find that I’m snuggling my baby.
She just sleeps better when she’s with me.
I’ve often told myself that I really should try to break her of the habit. I even tell my husband that I don’t want her sneaking in every night. But, as I fall asleep every night, I find that I wish I had her little body laying there with me…her warmth helping to comfort me to sleep like a baby in its mother’s arms.
I enjoy snuggling her.
Last night, Dumpling didn’t sneak into my bed. I woke up feeling more tired than usual and I realized that I tossed and turned quite a bit during the night. It just wasn’t a good night’s sleep.
I sleep better when she’s with me.
After reading Sheila’s story about her daughter’s passing too soon and how she cherished every moment that Donna spent in her bed, I reminded myself that you never know when you’re holding your child for the last time. Why should I rush her out of my bed when, surely, she will grow out of it too soon on her own and no longer want me to hold her?
I’m holding on.
Tonight, I won’t ask her to come into my bed, but I won’t stop her, either.
I can remember all three of our kids sneaking into our bed. Our now 17 yr old was the biggest offender. She snuck into bed with us until she was 4-5. LOL. I am not sure if we made them stop or if over time it just stopped.
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I seem to always read articles about how you’re supposed to break this habit, but I think a balanced approach is best. I actually remember climbing into my parents bed (technically, Grandparents) until I was 5. It really was comforting to me.
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I love having my little ones sleeping with me!
Anne – Mommy Has to Work recently posted..Sneak Peek of Iron Man 3 During the Super Bowl
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They’re only little for so long – snuggles are the best!
Kelly @ Texas Type A Mom recently posted..Guest Post: Budgeting for Baby
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Our kids don’t really crawl in bed with us at night. Every once in a blue moon I will get a nap with one of them though and those are the best naps ever!
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We let all of the kids in bed w/us until they started Kindergarten, if they wanted to be there. Our youngest is in K now, and he sleeps w/us on the weekend…thinks it’s a little treat and so do we. I know how fast the time will go when he won’t care less (and would be too big anyway, lol) about snuggle time with his parents.
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I feel the same way about nursing Bella. She’s down to only nursing once or twice a day and I will cherish those moments until they are gone. I no longer offer the breastfeed her, but I don’t refuse her either. It just goes by too quickly. All of it.
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