Deciding it’s time for your little one to move to their own room is one thing – and it can be a tough enough decision on its own if you’ve gotten a little bit more attached to that cuddle time at bedtime, or just to knowing that Baby is so near, than you were planning on. Actually moving them into their own bed and bedroom is another adventure altogether.
Even if Baby’s new room is only a few steps away from your own, it’s a big transition for them, partially because Baby is a whole lot smaller than you, so that distance that’s just a few steps for you may feel significantly larger to them. It’s also a big deal because it’s a change from the routine they have followed their whole life in the way they spend about half of the hours in their day.
Yes, you’re tired, and yes, Baby will probably be tired soon, too, but the transition to your little one sleeping the night in their own room is going to take some should-be-sleeping-hours (yours), a few tears (Baby’s [probably]), and a whole lot of cooperation and understanding from you both.
There are different ways to introduce Baby to their new sleeping space, and which one will work best for you and Baby depends on their personality and your needs.
Setting the stage
No matter which way you choose to start Baby moving towards sleeping in their own room, it’s a good idea to make sure they have the chance to explore the room, and build some positive associations with it, before you start. Maybe it’s been set up since before they were born, and is full of all of their things, and they are all that’s missing to make the picture complete, or maybe it’s been put together in the last week, with their current interests and tastes in mind, but either way, if they hasn’t spent much time there, it’s going to seem a little scary. Moving playtime into Baby’s room, maybe having a picnic there with them, and even starting out by moving naptime into their bedroom, if they still nap, are great ways to introduce Baby to their very own space.
Talk it out
As Baby gets older, talking to them about major changes in their life is going to grow more and more important. Even if they are still a little bit short of totally verbal, they are probably taking in more than you can see, and it’s only polite to warn them before making such a big change in their life.
Young children can also respond better to changes that are introduced to them through stories, which gives them a framework to think within. A homemade book about a child who is old enough to move into their own room, or a puppet show about the transition may be the push Baby needs to think about the move to their big kid bedroom as a good thing.
