Crying at Bedtime

This last two weeks the bedtime dynamics have changed massively and I am trying to put my finger on where it came from and how to change it.

I, as I have mentioned in the past, don't mind Co sleeping arrangements with me and the boys. Every night they go to bed and quite often, at least once a week, in one way of another, one of them, if I'm lucky and it's not both, will climb into my bed and cuddle up. Sometimes they're scared and need comfort, sometimes it's on the night after they've got back from their mums and just can't settle but we also get night where they just climb in.

As you guys know if you've been following the posts that my youngest James was taken to hospital after having an asthma attack. The first week every night he climbed in to my bed. I didn't mind. I support and see the benefits of Co sleeping and my poor little chap wasn't his best and it also made it easier for me to monitor his breathing better. Yet this last week the dynamic has changed.

He now wants to go straight to my bed to sleep. Now, although I support Co sleeping, I do expect the boys to go to sleep in their beds. They have music and children's stories to listen to when they go to sleep. Which has always worked well at settling them quickly.

So why has James suddenly started demanding to go straight to mine?

My only theory is that he's so use to climbing in that he now expects to go straight there.

This isn't James but it might as well be!

As I said they start in their room so now every night for 30 minutes we go through the battle and tears and although he gets lots of cuddles and reassurance he clearly doesn't seem happy.

So what do I do? Do I carry on with the normal routine and push through the tears and still comfort and support him? Do I just put him in his bed and walk away leaving him crying?

I don't want him to expect to start in my bed so that's out of the question.

Anyone got any tips?