How do I teach my 16m to sleep on her own? She is currently co-sleeping with us.

Here are some tips on how to get your child to sleep in his/her own bedroom: - Do it gradually: children hardly take well to sudden changes. Introduce the idea first before slowly implementing it. First move the crib to your room and have her sleep in the same room but in the crib. After she is used to that, move the crib to her own room. - Establish a routine: have them dressed and ready for bed in their own room. Settle them early so that they will feel comfortable - Create a nice and cozy bed: this makes going to sleep in their own rooms a pleasant experience. Have their favourite blanket or stuffed toy with them. - Be firm: when the child goes looking for his/her parents in the parents room, bring the child back to sleep in their own room for the rest of the night. - Find out if the child is afraid of anything: children are very imaginative and may be afraid of “monsters” in their rooms. Make a show of getting rid of the “monsters” and have a soft nightlight in the room may help alleviate their fears. - Stay with them: stay in their room till they fall asleep. Key is not to interact with them after the bedtime story is told so that they would learn that it’s time for time to sleep. When my sister-in-law was transiting my nephew to his own room, she told him that he is a “big boy now” and “deserves his own bed”. He has seen his cousins having their own beds so my sister-in-law also made reference to the older cousin and said that it’s time my nephew “be like __ korkor”. Children that age love copying others and that worked in helping with the transition.