sleeping by self

[Steph E.]

I have an 8-yr. old autistic son, who sleeps with me. Help me break this cycle! Sometimes he starts out in his own bed & ends up in mine (I don't even hear him come in anymore!), and sometimes he just starts out the night sleeping in my bed. He's a snugglebug, but is way too old now. Supposed to share a room with his almost 10-yr. old brother--there are 2 twin beds in there. I know Stevie (our 8 yr.old autistic) won't sleep in a whole room by himself, but we've tried changing his bedding to his favorite theme, posters with his favorite stuff, you name it. Is it time for good old-fashioned sternness--"mister, you get back in your bed!"?? I know this would be a week or two of H___ for everyone else in the house, esp. our son he's supposed to be sharing the room with. (Noone will get any sleep for a while--Stevie is very demanding & can scream to beat sound-barriers!!). Anyone have some good tips for this? He does sleep through the night, so no meds or melatonin is needed, just some independence for him & room to move for me!:eek:

[Lisa S]

I know someone who had a similar issue who resolved it by sleeping on her son's floor on a pad with a sleeping bag, a little further away from him each night, until she was sleeping outside his bedroom door, then she was able to sleep in her own bed again. Her son has AS.

You seem a little ambivalent about the harsher approach of putting your son in his own bed to sleep and you locking your bedroom door to keep him from getting into your bed and sleeping with you while you are asleep in the middle of the night.

My daughter still sleeps with me once in a great while, but not very often at all.