Meltzer, L. J., & Mindell, J. A. (2007). Relationship between child sleep disturbances and maternal sleep, mood, and parenting stress: A pilot study. Journal of Family Psychology, 21(1), 67-73. https://doi.apa.org/doiLanding?doi=10.1037%2F0893-3200.21.1.67. Kang EK, Kim SS. Behavioral insomnia in infants and young children. Clin Exp Pediatr. 2021;64(3):111-116. doi:10.3345/cep.2020.00052 It is also possible that many parents don’t recognise their child isn’t sleeping enough: most of the teenagers who participated in a recent survey for the Children’s Sleep Charity said they had problems falling asleep and difficulty getting up; but 80% of their parents said they didn’t think their child had an issue at all.

When your child starts being resistant to being told what to do at bedtime, I highly recommend giving your child a select number of options. Rather than forcing their bedtime routine on them, give them the chance to own it. I call this making them the boss of their sleep, even though ultimately of course you are still in control, you can get them to choose within reason, for example what colour their PJ’s are (maybe a choice of 2), what books they read – where they read etc. This way, when you give them choice and a sense of independence, plus perhaps playing the buffoon and pretending to forget so they can remind you, suddenly you no longer have a little person who resents being told what to do but someone who is the BOSS of their SLEEP! Would you like to discuss your child’s resistance to bedtime in more detail?

Often families I work with are working parents so their little ones are in childcare. The opportunity for long periods together during the day is not possible, however this does not mean you can’t find connection – when you get home set aside a 15-20 minute window when you can put away all distractions and focus solely on playing and giving your baby or your toddler your undivided attention and devotion. Kalmbach DA, et al. (2015). The impact of sleep on female sexual response and behavior: A pilot study. Activities involving hand-eye coordination help the brain wind down before bed, eg jigsaws or colouring in. Watson NF, Badr MS, Belenky G, et al. Recommended amount of sleep for a healthy adult: a joint consensus statement of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and Sleep Research Society. Sleep. 2015;38(6):843-844. doi:10.5665/sleep.4716

Free Trip: Another similar strategy is to withhold attention by ignoring bedtime resistance after a child is put to bed. Friman et al. (1999) created an intervention that included a card which could be traded for one “free trip” out of their bedroom or to request a visit from the parent. Further attempts for attention were ignored.

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Most people who feel sleepy during day time have irregular sleeping patterns at night. One should avoid sleeping at irregular times to align one's circadian rhythm with their surroundings perfectly. Sleeping at 4 AM will not help your body recover; it can also result in potential health problems such as diabetes and irregular blood pressure. What is the average bedtime for a 15-year-old? Faded Bedtime with Response Cost: A Response Cost can be added which, in a study by Piazza and Fisher (1991) meant that if the child didn’t fall asleep within 15 minutes of their scheduled bedtime, they were kept awake and out of their bedroom for 60 minutes before repeating the faded bedtime routine. The stages used to be classified as stages 1, 2, 3, 4, and REM. Now, experts generally classify them as: