Daughter Not Wanting to Sleep in Her Bed

If none of the other suggestions work... maybe put a few blankets on the tile & let her sleep there.

I am part of a large Mom's group/playgroup & this is not uncommon when kids switch to a "big bed".

My son is 2 1/2 & is still in a crib because he doesn't climb out & because I have heard of similar issues.

MAYBE ask her if she'd prefer her crib back... maybe she isn't ready? If it isn't a convert-a-crib & you have both, maybe put them both in there & let her choose?! If not I'd let her sleep on the blankets on the floor. She'll outgrow the desire & she won't catch a cold from the tile unless there are germs (but being chilly can stress the immune system & could possibly make it so she catches more colds) but maybe the blankets will help.

Good luck!

Did she just get this bed or is this a recent transition from something else?
If she's had it awhile and used to sleep in it, then look for anything that is different. I like Danica's idea about rearranging her room, too. My kids LOVE to rearrange their rooms (they are a little older) but I like doing it too.

One last idea, have you tried lying down on the bed yourself? Maybe there is something about the mattress itself that she doesn't find comfortable and doesn't know how to explain it. Is it new and has a chemical just out of the plastic smell; or has it been in storage, or a hand-me-down that may have gotten some mold or something growing inside and there is an odor when you are close close to it, like when you are sleeping that you might not notice just standing there? Is it high off the floor and she prefers to be lower? You could try raising or lowering the mattress (if it is adjustable). Does she have a guard rail on it? maybe she would like one, or would rather there not be one, depending on what you have now.

It sounds like you are having a communication problem more than anything. She isn't able to tell you what it is that she doesn't like.. so you will have to be Sherlock Holmes and work out the solution. Try everything... and keep asking her opinion about changing things up... (try it higher, try it lower, try it on another wall, try putting the head at the foot, try adding a rail, try removing a rail, maybe even try one of those foam egg crate layers under the sheet to make it more cushy). Good luck...

My son went through this phase as well. I simply put together a make shift bed on the floor for him by using a comforter I had in the closet, some extra blankets, etc. I made sure he was warm, but it was his choice where he wanted to sleep. It went on for quite a while, but he got over it eventually and now he goes in his bed every night. We figured out it was because he didnt like the height of a big boy bed and we maybe moved him from his toddler bed too soon. In any event, my suggestion is just set her a bed on the floor and leave it to her. In the scheme of things its not too bad an issue to deal with and ANYTHING to get them to sleep on time, right? Good luck.

Sounds as if her bed hurts her- too soft?
Maybe make a pallet on the floor?
If she likes sleeping on the tile is she running a low grade fever, so the cool is more comfortable?
Or maybe look at her nutrition as from what you said she hasn't really finished being sick since Christmas.
Probiotics is what we use.
best,k

I don't know why, but my little boy did the same thing at that age. I basically ended up telling him it was better to sleep in bed, and then let him do whatever he chose. He slept on the floor(for naps and at night) for over 2 weeks, but then just decided he'd had enough and started using his bed again. Some days he still naps on the floor, but not like before. So I would say to tell your daughter what you think is the better choice and then wait it out.

When we moved my daughter to a twin bed from the crib she would not sleep in it. We covered her floor in blankets (honestly like 5 comforters) and let her sleep on that until she was able to sleep in her bed again. That way she was warm and sleeping on the floor will not hurt her.

Maybe try moving her bed or bringing her to your bed when she's on the floor. This way you know she's warm and she'll sleep really good. I know it's not a habit you want to get into but the poor thing must be freezing on the floor. I'd also wonder what issue really lies behind this. To me - it's very odd to be so adamant about not sleeping in her bed. She's so young to be so firm about it. To the point where she'll sleep outside the door of her room but not in her room.

Good Luck - and I'd try to work with her so she stays warm and safe.

My daughter refuses to sleep in her room, she says there are monsters and wants to sleep in my bed and refuses to sleep elsewhere, so even though my problem is worse than yours, I can sympathize. However, I cannot offer a "why", all I can suggest is putting a sleeping bad or using one of those kiddie couches that pull out into a bed so that when she is feeling sleepy, she can pull out the bedding portion and sleep there (see http://reviews.walmart.com/1336/5913529/reviews.htm in case you don't understand what the couch is like). I know this doesn't solve the problem, but at least she won't get sick from sleeping on the cold floor. I assume she will grow out of this phase though.

I know that you asked this question over a hear ago but I was wondering what happened? What was your solution and was it jus a phase? I have twin girls and one of my twins is doing the same thing. She was sick a few weeks ago and one night ended up in our bed, one night I was on the floor next to her crib, one night on the floor with her. Since she has gotten better, she tried to climb out of her crib and wants to sleep on the floor. I don't sleep with her, though she asks every night. We ended up putting up a gate so she couldn't get out of the room and wander and she will start off sleeping right by the door and the gate. Eventually at night she will move in between her bed and her sister's bed. This has been going on for about 1 1/2 weeks and I am exhausted. Before they got sick they went to sleep no problems at 8:00 and slept 12-13 hours a night. Please tell me this was just a phase and you have a logical solution!! :(

About the same age, my son was having similar problems...He told us everything under the sun was the reason. If it makes you feel better, we would find him asleep on the floor by his door, outside our room's door and sometimes on the guest bed or couch. He is almost 5 now, still has the same bed and we haven't had issues for years.

We tried everything - and the combination of all the stuff did work. It was too dark so we got him some tykelights (sp?)-rechargeable "nightlight guys" as we call them that stay lit all ngiht in his bed so he can hold one, take one with him to the bathroom, etc.

My personal opinion is what was waking him was the urge to go to the bathroom but he didn't know how to go alone (or didn't want to) in the middle of the night. We also let him pck out some cool nightlights for his bathroom, the hallway that led to it. A new blanket, a new stuffed animal -= all the things it could have been. And we started a penny cup...he got a penny in this tiny tupperware cup every morning for staying in his bed...if he didn't stay, he owed us one, and if he woke us up by flinging the door open screaming for no good reason (this happend for a few weeks on and off-it was horrible), he owed us two. When the cup was full, he got a prize/toy.

The sleeping out side our door I think was a separation anxiety thing. I wound up asking him how many times he wanted me to check on him every ngiht before he went to sleep...in the beginning I did come in a a lot while he was still up and then at some point would promise to check on him the remaining amount of requested times, but only if he was asleep.

I really do know how hard it is and I feel for you, I hope you find a solution that works soon - good luck!

Have you tried changing the position of the bed in the room? It sounds crazy, but the direction the bed is facing could actually have either a calming or a disturbing affect on the sleeper. If the bed is near a window, switch it to the other wall. She could be feeling vulnurable or worried about being close to a window. Or, the bed could be in the direct line of an AC vent, causing her to feel cold. I would say, have a fun day "remodeling" the room. Make your daughter a part of it. Move stuff around, and make it like a "new room" all the while reminding her that after this "she can be happy and sleep in her bed again."

It's not really a big deal. My oldest son started sleeping on the floor in our room at 2. We insisted he sleep in his own room and he threw a fit. Our compromise (which worked) was that if he really wanted to he could sleep in his doorway. He did that for awhile before he moved of his own will into his bed and has been there since. He's 9. We also had tile. We helped him to lay out a sleeping bag with a blanket on top of that. Then his pillow and blanket. In the morning he helped me put it all in his bed until night. It kept him warm and comfortable and it was a compromise we could live with. It's just a phase. Get her a sleeping bag and some blankets and she will be okay. Maybe even an electric blanket if you need it. Illness is caused by germs, not getting cold. Germs breed more quickly in warm air and people get so sick in the winter because their houses are warmer, then they hang out in them all the time and don't get out as much. We get summer colds because it is warm outside and we hang out together. So basically, you are actually better off in cool air snuggled under a nice blanket.