This video marks my second animated video for children and young people, to help them understand why they engage in behaviours that concern adults, and how to respond therapeutically to them. I hope that it will be especially helpful for children and young people recovering from a tough start to life, and adults who interact with them in caregiving roles.

Transcript:

Hi, I’m Pat. I used to find it really hard to go to sleep in my own bed. I liked my bedroom and even chose my bed and the quilt cover.

I just liked sleeping with mom and dad more. I felt safe when I could feel them next to me. When they tried to get me to sleep in my own bed, I got really upset and needed them more.

You see, I found it hard to imagine they were still there when I could not see them, hear them, or touch them. I started to get bigger, and my parents’ bed was too small for the three of us. So dad started to lay next to me in my bed at bedtime and read books from my bookshelf.

I had a lot of books, but there was some that he read more than others. After he had read two or three books, he would sing some songs to me. He used to sing the same songs too.

All the while, there was music playing very softly in my bedroom. We called it the sleep music, and it stayed on all night. It really did help me sleep.

Sometimes I fell asleep before dad had finished singing. Sometimes dad fell asleep next to me too. But if I was still awake after the last song, dad would go and turn the hallway light on and then come back to check in with me.

He told me I could stay awake until he got back. Next, he would go and put the kettle on in the kitchen and come right back. Once again, he said I could stay awake until he returned.

Then he would say he was going to the toilet and would check back with me after. Once again, he told me I could stay awake until he got back. I found it hard to stay awake and soon fell asleep.

Before I did, I imagined dad turning on the light in the hallway, turning the kettle on in the kitchen, and going into the toilet. I got better and better at imagining him moving around the house and soon lost the feeling that I needed him where I could see or touch him. I now sleep all night in my own bed.

I think the sleep music helps, too. If you are finding it hard to sleep in your own bed, you might ask your parent to do the same as my dad did.