Sleep, it’s so elusive. Just as you’ve finally purged all your random thoughts for the day, and start drifting off to sleep, your little one comes hopping into bed with you.

For some, this is an enjoyable way to spend the wee hours of the night. For others, it means a sleepless night with a foot or two in the face.

So, for those parents looking to reclaim their beds, here are a few tips on how to get your little guy or gal to stay put for the night:

1. Prepare Your Child. The last thing you want to do at 3 am, while you’re deliriously fumbling your way down the hall, is hold a Q & A with your child about why she has to sleep in her bed tonight. Prepare her before bed, so she is aware of your expectations.

2. Keep It Simple. When walking your child back to her room, use very little language. Again, you don’t want to engage in a long discussion. A quick, “It’s time to sleep. Back to your bed,” should do the trick. Remember to use a calm voice.

3. Be Consistent. Consistency is key when dealing with a child who refuses to stay in her own bed. It may be 3 am, and you may be exhausted, but you have to get up and walk your child back to her bed. Every single time. “Just this once” is inconsistent and confusing. If it was ok last night, why is it not ok tonight?

4. Keep It Up. 11 pm, 1 am, 4 am. Each time your child returns to your room, walk her back to her room, using simple language to remind her to stay in her bed. Do the same tomorrow, and the next day, and the next.

It won’t be easy. It will be exhausting. You will want to give in “just this once” and let her sleep in your bed. Don’t. The more consistent you are, the faster your child will learn to stay in bed. And when that glorious night finally comes, and you wake up at 6 am in a panic because it’s 6 am and you haven’t heard from your child since 9 pm, it’ll all be worth it.