Okay, today’s “On the fence” question: Do you sleep with your door open or closed?
Why I am asking, is because this weekend, I discovered one of the greatest sleep secrets known to man mom. It’s called… wait… here it comes…. I give you… SLEEPING WITH THE DOOR CLOSED. Winning!
I grew up with two very “open” parents. Open, I tell you. No topic of conversation was off limits. I slept in their bed almost nightly for 12 years. When I wasn’t in their bed, they always slept with their door wide open. That is what I got used to, and my husband and I took the same approach. Our door has never been closed a night in our married life. Not even for… yah that.
But, this weekend I got smart. My youngest is almost six years old and can now tell time. So, I ordered my boys to try and stay in their beds until 7:30 am and then, instead of coming into our bed (which they usually do at 6:30 am EVERY MORNING), I told them not to come into our room until after 8. And…. I CLOSED OUR DOOR THE NIGHT BEFORE. Bam!
Well what happened? My husband and I slept like babies! The boys tiptoed out of their rooms at I have no idea what time. We never heard them because our door was CLOSED as opposed to the usual opened, where we hear LOUD whispers EVERY Saturday and Sunday morning, “Are mom and dad awake yet? No, they’re still sleeping.” Â Nope, we didn’t hear anything. My husband and I woke up at 8:30 am to smiling faces playing in the basement. It was the best sleep trick ever. I haven’t slept in until 8:30 in 12 years.
So now I ask you? What if my kid burns up with a high fever in the night and I don’t hear him? Am I Cruella for sleeping with the door closed on the weekends? It worked so well last Friday night, I’m even thinking I might try it again this weekend. Don’t judge me. 😉
Tell us, do YOU sleep with your door open or closed? What do you think about this “winning” weekend sleep strategy?
Signed,
Selfish (but well rested) Mom
I think its an excellent strategy. Wink wink. A tired mom is an unproductive mom. if they need you they’ll scream.
I agree with Leah. if they need you they’ll yell. Moms need rest. You’re a great mom.
Door open.
Strong believer in the closed door (+baby monitor until they mostly sleep through the night)
Not a fence issue for me. Closed every time. Moms and Dads need private time and the kids will always get to you when they need you. Even as babies, mine could make their desires known through two closed doors. Moms are typically light sleepers at the best of times; none of mine so much as burped without me knowing about it. So if it works for you, Erica, close the door and enjoy your private bedroom sanctuary without guilt. The boys know where to find you.
I think I may try this approach. I’m severly sleep deprived from my children.
We always sleep with our door open and the kids doors closed. Not that it matters one bit because they barge in either way. I wish I had made our room an off limits space, just for the hubs and I but more often than not, I have at least one kid trying to get into my bed.
Besides, I would NEVER trust my four year old to be up and about without supervision. That kid finds ways to get into everything when I am awake and just a few feet away. I can’t imagine what would happen if he had free reign, lol!
I used to have the same concerns but soon realized that if they need me they will find me:)
Take care
My parents slept with the door closed and I don’t recall ever sleeping in their bed as a kid–and I came out just fine. Mom and dad need their alone time in order to keep the marriage strong and that cannot be attained with an always-open-door policy. Kids need to learn to sleep in their own beds where they belong. Parents worry too much about everything nowadays and I don’t think there’s anything wrong with closed-door time. You should even extend it to the weekdays!
We always slept with our door closed but not locked – if our son ever needed anything he would knock and then peek his head inside. (Of course if he wasn’t feeling well, he would just yell. As a mom, trust me, you’ll hear it no matter how sleepy you are!) We also taught him how to turn on the tv if he got up earlier than 8am and we got to sleep in (until 8) every weekend! Nite-nite!
that’s supposed to say we got to sleep in until 8am every weekend!
Great advice. The whole letting kids sleep in your bed thing has got to go along with all the other helicopter parenting. Not only will you sleep better, but you will be teaching your child at least the very first part if independence. We have to start letting our children do things for themselves… OMG!
We sleep with the door closed. 🙂
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