Today, co-sleeping is so far removed from our culture that it is seen as an aberration – something to distrust and fear. Despite the absence of any correlation, co-sleeping has been blamed for homosexuality, overdependence, SIDS, and neuroses of all kinds.
Myth #1: All babies must learn to sleep on their own. This is not a fact, but an opinion, and one you may or may not share. Why must babies learn to sleep alone? As with every parenting decision you will be called on to make, the choice of where your child should sleep should be yours alone, and it should be based on a careful examination of both sides of the issue.
Myth #2: Children allowed to sleep with their parents are less independent. Most co-sleeping parents and many doctors and psychologists would attest that the opposite is true. Having their needs met and nighttime fears allayed reduces stress and allows children to focus on other aspects of their development. Confident that their needs will continue to be met, co-sleeping children are generally better adjusted and even perform better in school.
Myth #3: Children allowed to sleep with their parents will never sleep alone. Never? Rest assured that as your co-sleeping child ages, he will eventually decide to leave the parental bed. Left alone, it will happen naturally when the child is ready. If your readiness comes before your child’s, you may be able to convince him to try solo sleeping with rewards or gentle persuasion. It is true that a young child with nighttime needs may be hesitant to give up his first-class sleeping situation. You may feel encouraged to know that parents who believe in co-sleeping rarely change their minds or their habits with subsequent children.
Myth #4: Parents who sleep with their children are guilty of sexual abuse. For modern-day Americans, the idea of the bed seems inextricably intertwined with sexual associations. Everyone knows that “sleeping with” someone involves more than getting a good night’s rest. Perhaps we are afraid that social stigma and pedophilic accusations may result. In actuality, though, co-sleeping serves to protect your child from nighttime sexual abuse. A sexual predator has less access to a child who spends the night safe in his parents’ bed than one who is sure to be found sleeping alone.