Mommyhood Monday // Boundaries


We transitioned Lillian from her crib to a toddler bed almost two months ago. I didn't want to shut her in her room for several reasons so I left the door open and put a baby gate in the hall. I just felt like shutting the door was like trapping her (strange that I felt this considering she had been in a crib and behind a closed door for the first 18 months of her life). Let's just say my plan to give her a little freedom didn't go super well. (You can read more about it here.) After letting her cry it out and sleep in the hall for a while I was spent. Turns out when our parents said "This will hurt me more then it hurts you." they meant it. So one afternoon, when I couldn't take it anymore, I closed the door.


The change was immediate. When she had to freedom to go in and out of her room she would stand in the hall and cry for anywhere from 30 minutes to 2 hours! When I shut the door she cried for 0 to 10 minutes. She then chose to sleep on the floor right inside the door for a few days (and still does on occasion, like yesterday!) but finally completed the transition into her big girl bed. At night I typically read her a book (currently one of daddy's old books I am a bunny.) and sing to her for a little bit before putting her into her bed. Now she chooses to stay there. She will often sit up and say "night night" or smile as I shut the door. I thought giving her freedom was a good thing but it turns out the freedom was more then she could handle. Kids need parents to set boundaries for them because sometimes they can't make the best decision on their own. Heck, I still have decision anxiety every once and a while. Can someone set some boundaries for me please?


Kids need boundaries. Simple as that.


3 comments:

  1. I'm dreading transitioning my little guy into a bed...yeah, he's still in a crib. I miss sleep already, never mind when the big boy bed makes its debut!

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  2. Haha! That's totally what my kid's bed looks like at nap time. About a million toys in her bed. :)

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  3. ooooh this was super informative, i'm gonna have to remember this for when i have a bambino!

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