Family visits
Many of you know that one of my biggest fears is sharing rooms. Seriously, I am a total wimp about sharing a room with either of my kids and I never wanted them to share a room! We have never {not even once} slept in the same bed as our babies. I think there have been 3 times {just a ball park guess, mind you} we have shared part fot he night with 1 of the kids as a toddler due to 1) travel, 2)an illness, or 3) jet lag. Yep, that’s 3.
Why? you ask…I know. Well, I liked them having their own space that was decorated and made just for them and us having our own space just for us. Much more, though, I really value sleep- theirs and mine. And since we’ve always had the space to sleep them separately, there was no reason for them to co-habitate…except for when people visit us or we visit them. Traveling with 2 kids has really changed the game. And now that Luke’s 2, you can’t just put him in a bathroom anymore.
So, we have usually managed to avoid my nightmare of rooming them together by sleeping Luke in his happy tent in odd spots, for example, but this time {with Josh’s parents in town for 3 weeks} we decided to put the 2 kids together. I dealt with my anxiety about the upcoming ordeal by not thinking about it other than making a basic plan. {Yes, that’s called denial.} But the first night did come and we survived. Here’s what we did:
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Good sleep is worth the effort.
I moved Luke’s crib to the back corner of the loft so that he was away from the stairs if Rebekah got up before him.
- I made sure he saw the new spot and napped in the new spot before tackling a night.
- I talked it up big time and how fun it was to “get” {not “have”} to share a room together!
- I also put Rebekah’s air mattress in the loft so both could see it and know where it would be.
- We practiced with Rebekah on how to get up and get out quietly so as not to awaken little man before it was necessary.
- I made sure they were really sleepy, but not overtired.
- We did everything together: tooth-brushing, pj’s, stories, and prayers
- I used 2 white noise generators- 1 by each of them since it is a decently-sized room. {Two may have been over-kill, but I don’t care.}
- I said good-night to both and shut the door.
Well, that’s what we did. Here’s what I wish we would have done better.
- Told Rebekah to ignore Luke and sleep through his fussing. {can you really do that, though?}
- Not let Luke bounce on the air mattress, adding to his growing belief that the air mattress is obviously where all the cool kids sleep.
- Not used a night light.
- Not allowed Josh to be gone the first night so I would not have his help!!!!!
I think the best things we did were talking about it, making it fun, practicing getting down the stairs, and you know my love for white noise, so the generators were clutch in covering toddler sleeping sounds, as well as 2 extra adults going up an down the stairs, etc. The major downfall was the nighlight. I was worried about Rebekah falling down the stairs, but she really is amazing at them and it was light enough from the rest of the house she could see enough. As it was, I got to pay them a 4am visit on night #1- Luke was crying and Rebekah was singing {her song was: Don’t cry, Lukey! God is with you!}. I loved on them both, laid them back down, took away the night light, and you know what? They BOTH went back to sleep within minutes!!!!! Victory!
Now I am just wondering if they’ll want to go back to separate rooms?
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Be careful! There’s no going back. My boys don’t know what to do without each other at night. Many a night, a bleary-eyed Davis has sleep-walked his way into our bedroom saying, “Where’s Addison?” He’s always right where you’d expect…in the same bed Davis just left. Funny to me that his greatest nighttime fear is his brother not being by his side.
Becky- I was amazed when I heard you slept your 2 boys together- amazed in a good, awe-inspiring way, mind you.
We really needed to know the kids could do it b/c we do travel a lot.
Sweetie, I use three {yes, three} noise machines in our girls’ room {that is 10×10}. A white noise machine, a very loud air purifier and a fan set on high. Honestly, if I could use more, I would. Hahaha. Sleep is sacred and if they don’t get it, I don’t get it. So, if three noise machines is what it takes, then three is what we use.
My nieces share a room and have taken to sharing a bed too. Even now, while their visiting, they refuse to sleep without each other. It’s sweet, and they sleep really well, so no complaints from my brother and SIL.
3…even better!!! I agree, do what it takes. I have heard more often than not how much comfort kids take in each other…Luke will cry, then Rebekah will talk him down…it is so sweet!
I’m sure they’re sleeping together like champs now – they are both precious children who adore each other! Hurray for your white noise machines – I sure needed 1 in Shiner Friday night!
I am SO for sound machines too! I’m sure we will have at least two as well-a fan and white noise. I have snuck into children’s rooms after they fall asleep to turn machines on when I forget. I’m glad it worked out, the way Rebekah was singing to Luke sounds very kind!
This is halarious. I would have imagined that you would sleep in the bathtub yourself before rooming them together! ha ha ha…. no really- you’re kids are amazingly flexible. They are travel champs and roll with the punches. Way to go! Are bunkbeds in your near future?
Good to know! I have been dreading putting them together in the same room so I am holding out as long as possible. For one, Levi still isn’t sleeping through the night, and two, I don’t trust Luke not to throw something (or himself) in the crib yet. That day is coming b/c we’ll be going to Disneyland in the next few weeks and we’ll all be sharing a room! Not to mention we’ll have family coming to visit in the next few months, too. Love you and hope you’re well!
Oh, and I will definitely be using 2 sound machines. The boys each have a sound machine and a fan in their room. We all sleep better with a little white noise
Would now be a good time to tell you that all four of us are going to be moving in with y’all for a while again? 
Em you know I’m right there with you. Florida was my first time to ever sleep in the room with them-I was used to my girls sleeping in the same room (somewhat) so I have faced the initial fears and you did better than I did! You prepared them very well! I prepared Charlie but Joy was the one that freaked out and kept waking up initially. Thankfully now they like it and miss each other during naps (still nap at different times).
When I found out I’d be sharing a room with both of them I was panicked. For exactly the sane reasons as you. Mostly I knew I wouldn’t get sleep. I consider it a great victory that we made it and while I did wake up much earlier than I would have in my own room it went fine. We all caught up once we got home.
Long comment but mainly wanted you to know I share your greatest fear
We have both conquered it now!
Thanks, Mary, and you know I love long comments.
I have been wearing my new earrings non-stop by the way!!! LOVE them! Thank you so much!
Thanks for the thoughts, Emily! When we get to Sydney we will have the boys sharing a room as well. I’ve been so anxious about it!! But I knew it was inevitable and wanted the two of them to learn to share a room anyway (sure makes traveling a heck of a lot easier!). I wanted to wait until B. was sleeping through the night (which took way longer than I expected it to!), but then once we got here and he finally did, they were already completely set up in separate rooms, so what was the point!?! Anyway, the time has come. I really think they’ll do fine. I’m more concerned about them waking each other up in the morning! But hopefully they’ll just chat happily amongst themselves and enjoy each other’s company–until “the goal”, 7am.
And like Mindy, I’m concerned about E. throwing stuff over the side of the crib at him!! Aaaaa!
I am a full-time Clergy and will be commencing study in the university of Aberdeen,Scotland at the School of Divinity,History and Philosophy.I be very happy if I can be accommodated with any brethren in the Lord Jesus