What should I do??

Ok, So my step son is 3. I understand he has a lot of transition issues from having to go back and forth to see his mom every other weekend. But for some reason, about 3 or 4 nights a week, he will wake up crying in the middle of the night. Some nights, its a genuine cry, like a bad dream. But mostly its just for attention! And you know you can tell a difference. But i dont know how to break him of this... he cant be doing this when the baby comes!! Any suggestions? Thanks in advance ladies!

Does he have a nightlight in his room? I would just have his dad go in there, reassure him that everything's OK, then put him back to bed and walk out.

Quoting Tara Maureen:“ Does he have a nightlight in his room? I would just have his dad go in there, reassure him that everything's OK, then put him back to bed and walk out.”

He does have a night light... A big one with the revolving fish in it... it pretty much lights up the whole room.. But If he is doing this for attention, and we give it to him... he will just keep doing it cuz he knows it works...right? ugh i'm at a loss..

Quoting Waiting for Rylan:“ He does have a night light... A big one with the revolving fish in it... it pretty much lights up the ... [snip!] ... this for attention, and we give it to him... he will just keep doing it cuz he knows it works...right? ugh i'm at a loss..”

Not nessicarily. He probably just needs reassurance that his father is still there. As you said in your OP, he's having issues with transistioning between mom's house and dad's house. That's ALOT for a 3y/o to go through. Just make it quick, without a fuss. Don't stay in there too long, just go in tell him it's OK, lay him back down and leave. If he cries after that, let him.

Does his mom sleep with him?? It sounds like she does OR when he cries in the middle of the night does she allow him in her bed??? I would have his dad talk to his mom about this...

Quoting Dee-nah:“ Does his mom sleep with him?? It sounds like she does OR when he cries in the middle of the night does she allow him in her bed??? I would have his dad talk to his mom about this...”

Well, his mom is dead beat druggie. She has supervised visits, which are supervised by her parents. So when they visit her, they are staying with "Mamaw and Papaw" and yes they do sleep in the same bed as them.. So I'm almost positive thats what it is. Ugh! Thanks for you guys' help!

Quoting Tara Maureen:“ Not nessicarily. He probably just needs reassurance that his father is still there. As you said in your ... [snip!] ... fuss. Don't stay in there too long, just go in tell him it's OK, lay him back down and leave. If he cries after that, let him.”

I agree

I know how frustrating have a step child can be sometimes. I have a 10 year old step son and then 2 kids with his father. Now he lives in New Jersey with his mother and we live in Boston, Ma so he comes up from time to time to spend the week and every time he comes up I dread it and pray til the day he goes home. Now I'm the nicest person you'll ever meet and tend to like evveryone, but he comes up and purposly tourtures me the whole time. And now I do nothing but take care ofHe makes a huge mess, is always whining and complaining about my 2 kids because my son loves him and follows him everywhere and the last time he was here he actually yelled at my son who was like a years at the time. Everything I say is an argument and he doesn't listen to anything. There's a lot more, but I could probally take up 10 pages of it. But the real reason I think he's acting like this is to get attention from his Dad. I mean he doesn't get to see his Dad all that much, at least not like he'd like. And here's his Dad with this whole other family in another state that get to see him everyday and I think thatswhere a lot of it comes from. He feels like he's losing his Dad or that his Dad doesn't love him as much as our 2 kids and he feels left out. He also is convinced I hate him even tho I've never given him a reason to think that. He feels like I stole his father. That could be the same with your stepson. Maybe it's his way of trying to get his dad's attention because he feels like his Dad has this other family with you being pregnant, you are pregnant right? Maybe he just feels like he's losing his Dad in a way. It's a tough and confusing thing for a child, especially at 3 years old.