Why Should Children Sleep With Their Parents
You would like to sleep eight hours without pause and in a pleasant way, but, suddenly, you hear that cry of your baby from his room. In the following lines you will discover why children should be allowed to sleep with their parents and what are the pros and cons of this.
Several doubts arise in parents when their children want to always sleep with them. If it happens very frequently, it is important to consider certain aspects to ensure optimal growth in children . If you also have this concern, read on.
It is not the same for a newborn baby to sleep next to his parents, for a 10-year-old to do so . Between the ages of 3 to 7 years, these experiences can define the person for life, according to studies carried out in Spain by Aláez Fernández and other authors.
What are the benefits of letting children sleep with parents?
Every dad wants to spend time with his little one in his own way. When the baby feels a parent close by, he does not have the need to cry. Although, as this study published in Paraninfo Digital shows , some parents do not get enough rest when they sleep with their children.
We also know that getting out of bed at night to care for your child tends to be annoying. Letting children sleep with their parents is a comfortable option to attend to their crying more quickly.
The peace that your little one gives you when sleeping with you is unmatched . By choosing some nights of the week to rest with him, you can improve the family bond. In this way, you will enjoy that stage of your child’s childhood that does not repeat itself.
1. They increase your personal safety due to the feeling of protection
Every time a baby wakes up during the night and cannot find his parents in the room, he will use crying or screaming as a solution. This does not happen when they sleep in the same space because they feel protected. Taking into account their age, letting children sleep with their parents can help everyone have better sleep .
2. They feel loved
Spending time with your child is important to both of your feelings. In the case of your little one, he will feel more loved when he spends the nights with you . If you are one of those parents who tend to be busy with work and other duties, these special moments with your child can help you show how much you love them.
3. Your children usually have a peaceful and uneventful sleep
At various times during the night, some parents tend to wake up just to see if their child is sleeping well. However, babies can have a peaceful sleep if you sleep with them , ignoring the dim lights, night noises, and other incidents. And, if they do have a nightmare, when they realize that you are close, they will soon forget it, because they will feel protected by your presence.
4. Strengthen the relationship with parents
That the first and last thing you see when sleeping and waking up is your child is priceless. The same happens in their minds, since they feel accompanied by the beings they love the most. If you both sleep in an ideal space, you will improve the relationship .
Some negative aspects that you have to take into account
Letting children sleep with their parents, in addition to benefits, has some consequences. You can have a child who needs you every two or three hours, so you will turn to your little one every time this happens. This wakefulness may affect you the next day.
At bedtime, we recommend that your little one rest in a space where they cannot suffocate. The unconscious movements that we make while sleeping could make the child uncomfortable and even hurt him. If letting children sleep next to their parents is still a question for you, check the following points. In this way, you will be able to balance your life and that of your child.
1. Lack of intimacy in the relationship if children sleep with their parents
By sleeping alone with your partner, you can have better intimacy for the relationship. However, when you include your child to rest with you, this could diminish and end, as evidenced by this study published in the Professional Journal of Research, Teaching and Didactic Resources . If you balance your life as a mother and as a couple, you can have good times together .
2. Little independence from children
Most of the time it is mothers who want to sleep with their children . By doing this every day, you are taking away the independence of having experiences on your own. This fact could create certain marks of childhood in your little one that in the future can have consequences, as well as you.
3. Excessive spoiling if you let the children sleep with their parents
Letting children sleep with their parents too often can make them spoiled. If your child is between the ages of 5 and 7, you could talk to him and sleep together for a few nights. Spoiledness appears when he feels overly protected by you. The child even comes to believe that the bad things he does will be accepted by you.
If you notice this type of behavior, it is time to let him know that you are here to correct him and guide him on the right path. No matter how much love you have for him, you cannot tolerate your child having a bad attitude.
In short, why let children sleep with their parents? Because it is one of the most beautiful moments you can spend with him. It creates beautiful memories, but it also brings some consequences. We know that, as a mom, you can find the balance to rest with your little one and also without him.
The mother and child relationship changes over time. Therefore, we recommend you live these little experiences of which both of you will have fond memories.
