Kyra's Bed... Or Lack There Of

A few days ago Jer mentioned how he didn't think taking Kyra's bed away from her even phased her. I had a good chuckle because sense taking her bed away, Jer has been leaving for work right before she took a nap and not coming home until long after she was asleep for the night.

Upon putting her to nap or bed most of this week she's looked me right in the eyes and said, "Mama, I want my heater on." referring to her bed heater that we put on because we're cheap and turn the thermostat WAY down in the middle of the night so as not to use up too much gas.

Each time she requests her heater, I inform her that she can't have it because it wraps around her mattress, and well, she's sleeping on the floor and not on her mattress. She covers her eyes, pretends to cry, and then I tell her that if she would learn to follow directions, she wouldn't have lost her bed. We kiss, we hug, she goes to sleep. On the floor.

Two nights ago, hours after Jer told me he didn't think this whole no bed thing was doing any good, Kyra and I had this conversation:

Kyra: Mama, I want to sleep in MY bed.
Me: I'm sorry baby, you lost that privilege.
Kyra: Why?
Me: Why don't you tell me why.
Kyra: Because I was jumping on my bed.
Me: That's right. You knew better then to jump on your bed and you did it anyway, didn't you?
Kyra: Yeah.
Me: So now you don't have a bed because you need to think about what you did wrong and not do it again. If you learn to follow directions, and not do things you know you're not allowed to do, you would have your bed. But you had trouble not listening, so now you must think about that.
Kyra: Mama?
Me: Ya?
Kyra: I'm think about it and now I want my bed back.
Me: **stifling laughter but not hiding my grin** I'm glad you're thinking about it. And if you continue to be good, and LISTEN, then you will get your bed back. Until then, you're on the floor, baby.

Hugs, Kisses, Goodnights

So, I think taking her bed away was a good thing. A learning thing. And, although she might jump on her bed again in the future, at least this might make her think twice before jumping on it while Mommy is in the very next room.