Seven great reasons to co-sleep with your children

Seven good reasons to co-sleep with your children and stay with them and tuck them in until they are completely asleep.

This is not a standalone article but just a small supplement to the article "Do you secretly sleep with your children?"

1. SLEEP THROUGH YOURSELF - You will be allowed to sleep through right from day one

2. BODY CONTACT - Body contact balances the nervous and hormone systems, which is scientifically proven – and then it is good for the soul. This is essential for Highly Sensitive Children (HSP). It lowers their stress hormone levels, and they get a good long sleep.

3. FEELING SECURE WHILE SLEEPING - Felling secure while sleeping is central, especially for sensitive children and for children in rapid development (ie, most of childhood, but especially during periods when they develop most)

Silke has fallen asleep in a stroller.

4. STAY IN BED ALL NIGHT - The adults do not need to get out of bed when the children need them at night; you will quickly learn to help them without them letting go of their sleep; the bonus is you both get to spend more time in bed and will be waking up more relaxed.

5. BEING PRESENT - The quiet presence at the end of the children’s day provides a healthy community in the family.

6. CUDDLE EVERYBODY TO SLEEP AT ONCE - You can cuddle all your children simultaneously, and they will learn to take care of each other and each other’s need for rest and sleep.

7. AVOID FORCED DEVELOPMENT - It avoids forced development where your children are pushed to self-empowerment unnecessarily early. Puberty should come when the time comes! We do not believe in hardening children for later life; we believe in giving them a good, robust, and safe childhood full of love and presence. This way, they can explore and unfold in confident assurance that we care for them and that there is room for them to be the small humans they are.

My girls are enjoying an evening cozy time and savoring a sunset.

I hope I can inspire others who sleep in the same room and bed as their children to be proud and happy with their choice.

Our son, who is six and a half, has no plans to sleep alone. He thinks it’s a bizarre thought. Why on earth would he do that, though ?!

Sleeping is something we do together, like eating and going out. It’s nice, and we love it all. It works, we get the sleep we need, and we strengthen the community on which we build the castles of our lives. What more could you ask for?

Fjord and Dad are having a serious conversation before sleep.

Today my husband thinks it is a crazy thought that ‘kids should sleep outside the nest ?!” But in honesty, he came from a different place. When we started, he thought it was normal that each kid should sleep alone in their bedroom.

But lucky me, I have a husband in constant development.

For me, it has always just spontaneously felt right and essential, beautiful, practical, functional, & healthy.

By the way, I don’t think I would close my eyes and fall asleep if I couldn’t hear them breathing next to me. (I would like to emphasize that I am not opposed to children sleeping in their own beds in their own rooms. As long as they are comfortable and happy about it, and it works for the family. Then everyone is free to adjust as it suits the family’s temperament.).

May the sun shine on you.

Cecilie Conrad