Why Lying Down to Sleep With Your Kid Isn’t Bad, It’s Just About Closeness

Some parents believe co-sleeping creates a bad habit and are afraid children will get used to being close to their parent, making it hard for them to ever fall asleep alone. Others disagree and think it’s a great way to bond with their kids.

We at Bright Side think every mom knows what’s best for her kid. And here’s why some of them don’t think there’s anything wrong with sleeping in the same bed as their child.

It’s a moment of calm after a crazy day.

Life with kids never stands still. If they’re very young, you’re always playing with them, trying to make them stop crying, changing diapers, and making food for them. If they’re older, you wake up, quickly make them breakfast, drop them off at school, and pick them up at the end of the day. Then maybe they’ll want to go play with their friends or will need to go to a football practice and will come back home, do their homework, and go to sleep.

In any case, after such a busy day you just want to lie down and relax. And what’s better than doing it with your toddler who needs to feel the warmth of their mommy or daddy to fall asleep? Or to cuddle with your child who hasn’t had a chance to spend quality time with you today? Both for your child and for you, this is an opportunity to finally pause and relax together.

It improves your child’s mental health.

Susan Krauss Whitbourne, a professor of psychological and brain sciences, says attachment parenting, which can include lying down to sleep with your kid, helps improve their physical and psychological health. They might cry less often and feel more connected and empathetic to others in their adult life.

A 2010 study also says co-sleeping reduces stress which affects how their brain develops and how they will react to stress in the future.

It’s an opportunity to bond.

When you lie in bed with your kid to help them fall asleep, it’s peaceful, quiet, and the perfect time to bond with your children. You can read a book together and then talk about it, or your kid might want to tell you what their day at school was like, or what plans they have for the weekend. Maybe they’ll even reveal their fears and worries to you, and you’ll be able to comfort them and feel closer to them than ever.

Do you co-sleep with your kid or do you think they should learn to fall asleep alone? When is the right time for you to start sleeping separately? Please share your thoughts in the comments!