How do you get an almost 4 year old who isn't used to sleeping alone, to sleep in her own bed at night?

All night long?

(thank you Lundells for the daybed, Shark for the bedding and painting and Ree for painting - my Diva's took it by storm!)

You get a freakin MARINE on the job!

Okay, so Sissy just hasn't been used to sleeping by herself.  When she stayed at my house before, she always slept with me and Splenda.  We tried to get her in the Yankee room and bed by herself, but she wouldn't have any of it!

I asked her Mom once what she did to be able to get her to sleep alone and she told me she was too soft hearted and that she didn't make her either.  We both agreed that Sweet lil punkin is just too fun to snuggle with.  I even asked Sis once where she slept so I could show her that if she slept alone at someone else's house, she could at mine.  I got a typical toddler answer that she slept with Mommy, or Ganpa, or us.  And then something shiny caught her attention and the convo ended.

Well, her wise Daddy put an end to all that.  I wish I had been smart enough to think of it myself!  Props to him.

Last week, he let HER put HIM to bed in her bed.  Tucked him in, turned off the light and shut the door.  When she got up in the morning, he was still sleeping there.

The next night, he took her into her room.  Laid her in bed - amid whimpering, crying, and protests- and reminded her how she had helped him in there the night before and that he slept there all night long, all by himself.
He then explained that while he was there the night before, he made sure that EVERY scary thing in that room was gone.  Any ghosts, monsters, sounds, (anything a pre-schooler might imagine).....her daddy took care of them.  The room was spotless of any scary.

He then drew her attention to the Marine flag hanging over her bed.  He reminded her that his job is being a Marine and that Marine's protect people.  They keep them safe.  He explained that the flag was there over her bed to protect her.  Nothing bad or scary could ever happen with that flag hanging over her bed.  It was her protection.

(thank you Countess and your congregation for the prayer bear)

He then upped the ante with a reward in the morning with a toy or a treat if she made it all night long in her own bed.
She asked him if he was going to stay there all night.  He told her no, but reminded her that the flag was there all night. 
She rolled over and went to sleep.  He shut the door and walked out. 

The End.


Really..... she has been there every night on her own since then.  She does the typical stall tactics wanting a drink, one more story, sit for awhile..... all perfectly normal stuff.
Each night she has woken up during the night once or twice or four times, but she is easily calmed and goes back to sleep.

Brilliant I tell ya - just freakin brilliant!