Tuesday, April 28, 2015

Time Out

It has been almost three years since we returned from a family visit in the United States, and Raphaela decided that my bed is far cozier than hers; she had gotten used to being in the same room as me when we were overseas.


I have tried many methods and bribes to get her back into her own room, none successful for more than one night.


Last night Raphaela had excess energy to the point of misbehaving, and after giving fair warning, she received a time out and a punishment:  we were going to pass on our bedtime story and I needed her to sleep in her own bed, to quiet her body and her mind, and give me some space.  She cried, talked to herself for a while, but eventually settled into her bed and fell asleep.


Having lasted in her room the entire night, she woke me up this morning and told me how wonderful she felt in her own room and her own bed, how warm it was and how nice it is to have her dolls with her.  "Mommy, maybe not reading to me was a punishment, but sleeping in my own bed is not a punishment at all."


Mission accomplished?

3 comments:

Rachel Selby said...

I'm so pleased you wrote this. DD usually comes into my bed in the winter months to save heating two rooms, and when we return fro the UK after Peasach she goes back into her own room. However, last year she didn't go back into her own room at all and this year it wasn't even discussed. My bed has become our bed. Sometimes I feel I'd like my own space back but mostly I like it too. I'm hoping that one day she'll just decide to go back on her own.

Nicole said...

My bed has also turned into our bed, and i don't mind. But I put my foot down about the number of dolls I will share it with!

Doc said...

Being honest, when I do wake up in the morning and find her in bed with me, her curls all over the place, I smile. Then we get to cuddle a little before starting the day. But if I ever have a chance of dating properly and one day having a someone else (male, grown up)in bed with me, we have to start the separation process at some point.