Question
We have a bedtime dilemma! We have three kids 4.5 year old girl and twin boy/girl 2.5 year olds. We just moved from a 2 bedroom townhouse where all three kids shared a room to a 3 bedroom house where the older girl has her own room. At the townhouse we noticed if we let the older girl come in our bed in the middle of the night (my husband would bring her in when he went to bed) all three children slept longer. Now that she is in her own room she asks to sleep with us all night and throws a huge fit if we don't. I am concerned I have ruined her, she acts like a crazy person and guilt trips galore. I feel horrible because she'll say things like "I love you so much, I want to sleep in your bed because I just always want to be with you, I wish you loved me the same" I was super stressed when the twins were born and she was nearly two; I was often short with her and so overwhelmed I maybe neglected her or treated her with anger. I feel so badly about that and was often caring for all three alone while my husband worked two jobs. Could this be why she is acting this way? I read advice you had given another parent with a 4 year old and it said to stay in her bed until she falls asleep but put her to bed earlier. I am sometimes the only one (when my husband works late) putting the three kids to bed so I usually put the twins down then read to my older girl. So I'd be hard to put everyone down earlier and the twins can't really be trusted in the house without supervision if I was putting my older one to bed. Please help!!!.
