‘After three years, our son goes to sleep in his own bed for the first time’

I still have a little while – after all, Mack won’t be 3 years old in five months – but I’m already getting too angry at the idea. That sweet snore next to me, those soft hands over my cheeks, that fine stove between us and even his pointed knees on my side: I’m going to miss it enormously.

No struggle

We’ve always put Mack between us from his freshman year. Not only because we didn’t want a fight at night, but also because he had non-stop skin hunger and with his sensitive nature could just wake up five times a night. After a day with many stimuli, for example. But also when his teeth came through or just because he had a bad dream. A pat on the head was often enough to put him back to sleep. So we would be crazy if we put him in his own room, we thought. And besides: he simply had a strong need for this security.

Closing of a special chapter

Now we are almost two years later and we notice that Mack is making huge steps in his development. He thinks it’s cool to do things without help, knows exactly what he wants (and especially doesn’t) and has been sleeping around the clock for a few months without waking up. In short: high time to let him sleep in his own basket, his father suggested. Because such a child diagonally across the bed is not always good for your night’s rest.

I have to agree with that, but no matter how melancholic it sounds: for me this will be an emotional conclusion to a special chapter. And so I gave myself five more months to get used to the idea. Oh, and because of his room, which now mainly serves as a laundry room, a cool one dinosaur cream to make. Because if we do it, we have to do it right.

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Very proud

The closer the moment comes, the more difficult it is for me. But I also know that after seeing his room, Mack probably won’t want to leave. And admittedly, when I see him lying in his own big bed with those long legs, it will make me very proud. Although I still secretly hope that at night he still rolls out of his sturdy toddler bed and crawls between us like a warm stove.

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