Mama?

So for quite a while we have had a bad case of separation anxiety going on at our house. William would scream bloody murder the minute we tried to put him down at night. He was okay if we stayed in the room with him, but of course that was difficult. And, even if you stayed in the room with him until he went to sleep, he would awaken during the night and start to cry once he realized he was alone. Then the process would start all over again. It was ugly, I tell you!!

 I was exhausted and desperate and somehow concocted this totally insane idea.
William will relax and not cry and go to sleep IF he knows we are within sight. I had even discovered a couple of weeks ago that if he could just see my feet and legs - that was enough. So, finally  made a FAKE pair of feet and legs!! No - I am serious! I took an old pair of pantyhose and stuffed them. Then I put my slippers on the "feet" and a pair of pajama pants over the rest. I hid it in the closet until bedtime.

Once William was in his crib, the nightly ritual done I went to our closet and got it out. I then stuffed a pillow in the top of the pajama pants and then put my robe over top. By this time, he is already crying and fussing. Then I inched the feet out into the hall (on the floor) as if I were crawling out there myself.
IT WORKED!! The minute he saw the "feet" he assumed it was mama and stopped crying. a few minutes later he was busy talking to himself. About 20 minutes after that all was quiet and I didn't hear from him the rest of the night. I, of course, was already lying in bed with the lights out and went right to sleep. HEAVENLY!

The legs continue to work. We have had to do a couple of variations on them, like a blanket and only the slippers sticking out or I sit in the hallway for a few minutes and then change places with the legs, but bottom line - we are all sleeping thru the night and that is what counts!!

We will do this the rest of his life if necessary. I am fully prepared to pay someone to roll these out each night outside his dorm room, if necessary.  Ok, but realistically for another couple of weeks at least until he is finally over his dreaded separation anxiety!!!