Family beds are somehow a taboo in the West. The Older generation has been discouraging younger parents for one sole reason- independence. People often think that children co-sleeping with their parents will somehow find it hard to live independently later in life.
However, that has become a diminishing myth that no longer applies to advance, scientific and reasonable society. There had been countless studies that prove co-sleeping as a good practice not only for the kids but also for their parents.
Suffocating the children or risking them to SIDS has been falsified so many times in so many studies and it is now high time to buy a bed where you can all fit in.
Now, you have a reason to buy that king single bunk bed you’ve always seen on Ikea.
Co-Sleeping And Its Effect On Kids
Here are a few reasons why a Family bed is going to save the next generation from emotional and mental illnesses.
- Kids Feel More Accepted, And Less Rejected
Source:https://www.pexels.com/photo/family-man-woman-boy-29585/
Co-sleeping parents feel more accepted because they have parents to console them at the end of the day. They can quickly discuss the bad experiences they had during the day with their parents before they hit the sack.
Even at a young age, bad experiences can have long-term effects on children. Traumatic experiences can be one source of lifetime rejection among children. Co-sleeping addresses this issue as soon as your kids end their stressful day.
Just like one stone cause significant vibrations in a peaceful lake, your little one’s trifles might be one source of stress when they grow up.
- Children Mature And Become Independent Sooner
Contrary to popular belief, several studies have shown that co-sleeping encourages self-sufficiency among children earlier than those who don’t. Kids, who know their parents has got their back, mature sooner than others.
Co-sleeping gives a favorable situation for bedtime parenting. Parenting is not all about being mad and spanking. It is all about teaching kids life lessons they should carry as they grow up.
Children are like sponges, and they would quickly catch on what their parents are showing them or trying to teach them.
- Co-sleeping Makes Children More Affectionate With The Things Around Them.
Source:https://www.pexels.com/photo/boy-in-blue-and-white-shirt-playing-near-on-body-of-water-with-boy-in-red-shirt-160946/
Co-sleeping encourages cuddling. Cuddling helps the brain create the feel-good hormones, otherwise known as Serotonin. It also helps promote the production of Dopamine in the body.
Children who often receive hugs and kisses from their parents tend to be more receptive to warmth, love, and affection. They also in return become more affectionate with the people and things around them.
It is easier for them to give and receive love when they know they have adequate in themselves and from their parents.
Destructive children learn their attitude from parents who may not have a good relationship with each other, but it doesn’t automatically equate the other way.
- Children Are Less Prone To Psychological Problems And The Issues That Come With It
Source:https://www.pexels.com/photo/wood-bridge-cute-sitting-39369/
Mental illnesses also start as early as childhood. When kids have a stable support system during their babyhood, they are less prone to mental problems unless it naturally runs in their genes.
Mental illnesses also come with multiple issues such as erratic and uncontrollable behavior.
When parents co-sleep with their children, the chances of feeling misery is lesser, and they become more open about their feelings to them. It also gives parents an opportunity to explain what they did for their children not to misunderstand them.
- Co-sleeping Makes Children Become Less Anxious And More Confident Of Themselves
Co-sleeping boosts the kids feeling of acceptance thus, becoming easier and confident of themselves. Self-sufficiency also drives out anxiety among children.
Co-Sleeping And Its Effect On Parents
- Parents Will Develop Easy Conversation With Kids
With no doors to slam, co-sleeping encourages open ears and arms between a child and a parent who may have a few misunderstandings. When you sleep next to each other in bed, you won’t have issues left undiscussed before dawn.
It is also easier for parents to teach kids life lessons without sounding so “preachy” because it will be the usual bedtime story.
- It Encourages Openness And Transparency
As mentioned earlier, parents who co-sleep with their children have an opportunity to cuddle their kids’ woes away. It is also a perfect channel for them to be open about their feelings.
Transparency between parents and children also encourages mutual trust. When kids know their parents are trustworthy, they are less likely to have issues dealing with peer pressure later in life.
- Parents Become Happier and More Bonded
The same way Serotonin and Dopamine are set free with cuddling on kids, parents also get the same shot when they receive warm hugs from their children.
It isn’t just about having a happy wife to have a happy life. Happy kids is also a key ingredient to having a happy family.
- Parents Can Have Longer And Better Sleep Quality
Infancy is a stage where parents sacrifice most of their sleep time to take care of their babies. However, having your infant’s crib inside your room will lessen the time you go out to the nursery to feed or lull them to sleep.
Sounds absurd but it helps mothers sleep better knowing that they have their baby at arm’s reach. Mothers who also breastfeed on the same bed with their babies find it easier to sleep while their child continues to suck for milk.
It is also easier for them to adjust to their child’s sleeping patterns.
- Co-Sleeping Lessens The Risk Of SIDS By 50 Per Cent
Room-sharing with babies below one-year-old also reduces the probability of SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome). There were multiple reports of mothers saving their children’s lives because they have observed their babies stopped breathing and were able to revive them just on time.
SIDS doesn’t have any exact reason yet. Co-sleeping infants get more attention and protective care from their parents, so the chances of saving children from SIDS are high.
Takeaway
Co-sleeping has its many benefits including a healthy well being. Parents who co-sleep with their children will become more familiar with their baby’s sleeping patterns and become more sensitive to their needs.
Infants who sleep next to their mothers are feed twice more than those who aren’t. The need for safety always start with beds, so parents who sleep in the same bed with vulnerable infants should make sure that their foam won’t make them roll over to one side that quickly.
It has positive effects on both the children and their parents. Children in particular benefit more because they will gain lifelong lessons and values that will hone the way they will live their lives as adults.
The myth about dependence and being inadequate has long gone, and parents are more encouraged to think about their kids’ welfare more than cultural bias.
