Many parents consult with me regarding sleep problems – Some children need a lot of “help” falling asleep – They get out of bed a thousand times, need you to stay with them endlessly, or hold their hand, they have to fall asleep in your bed, or wake up in the middle of the night, and again, need you to help them get back to sleep, or come to your bed, and so forth….
Two important facts to understand regarding sleep:
AUTONOMY - We want to teach our children to fall asleep independently (meaning not needing us). This is an important life skill that needs to be acquired, and the sooner the better. Whenever they will own this skill (to fall asleep autonomously at the beginning of the evening), they will also use this ability during the night, when they have those small wake-ups.
BOUNDARIES - If you are experiencing challenges at bedtime, it could be that there is some trouble with setting boundaries. I suggest you start working first on holding healthy boundaries during the day. This will also greatly impact the bedtime routine, and will make it much more enjoyable for everyone.
Remember that if you are having a hard time at night, your child is probably also experiencing difficulties, and moreover, he is most probably not gaining enough sleeping hours, or a good night of quality sleep.
Feel free to reach out if you want help in making an efficient sleep plan!
I’m a licensed parenting coach.
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