A mum who still shares a bed with her two children said people call her "weird".
Bernie Watkins has co-slept with her children since they were born. Despite Frankie, 10, and Caden, 12, both having their own rooms, they still choose to sleep with their mum.
The 49-year-old said she "understands" why people say it's "weird" but the reason is because they share such a close bond. Bernie, originally from Childwall, said bedtime is the best part of their days because they can all snuggle up and have chat before falling asleep side by side.
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The freelance copywriter said: "We have always been in a bed together - right from when they were newborns and I didn't want to leave them in a different room on their own. They can stop when they want and have their own rooms but have always preferred to sleep with me.
"We're a very close cuddly family so it's perfect for us - and getting into bed at night is a lovely part of our days. We don't normally share mealtimes so bedtime is our time to all be together and have a cuddle and talk about anything.
"People told me they would grow up to be clingy and dependent if we kept sharing but they're the total opposite." Bernie shared a bed with her children as soon as they were born to make breastfeeding easier.
Despite warnings this can lead to accidental suffocation of newborns, she was "never concerned about that." She said: "I am a light sleeper so I always knew where they were in the bed - as soon as they stirred I would wake up.
"For me it felt wrong to take a tiny baby and leave them in another room alone. I was always set on co-sleeping from birth."
As the children grew up, they simply never left - and would use their cosy bedtimes as an opportunity to spend quality time together.
Bernie, who now lives in Grenada, Spain, said they light candles, play relaxing music and have discussions with no taboo subjects. The setup sees them all on one king-sized bed frame but with two mattresses and duvets - a double for Bernie and Frankie, and a single for Caden because he moves a lot at night.
Allowing her children to share a bed with her at night is something Bernie will "never want to give up." She said: "I believe it's important to have that contact. It's really understated but it means a lot to us."
She added: "I can understand why people say it's weird because in England it's not the norm. I guess everyone is entitled to their own opinion."
"For us it's the most normal thing in the world and none of us want to stop. I wish other people wouldn't make comments or put barriers up around co-sleeping - people make an automatic judgement.
"It's the reason we have such a close bond."
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