Challenge to get kids to bed plagues many parents
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Most parents would tell you the first year is a blur. The challenges of getting a child to sleep are many. To begin with it's important to set up a series of sleep transitions first before you run to pick them up.
"I think the question might be what if there is a problem, what if they start screaming the second you leave," said psychologist Dr. Paul Glovinsky. "For the really little ones, you can pick up again and sooth them outside and put them back. You just don't want them to fall asleep in your arms."
Stick to your bed time rituals and consistency is key.
"You start to make it clear without saying anything really that you are not going to hold them," said Glovinsky. "They are going to be in the bed, after a week or so that will be pretty clear to them and at that point what you want to do is make a point of saying 'good night Sarah.' Once you establish something like that you want to be consistent."
When your baby is crying in the crib, some parents fear there is something wrong and tend to the baby. Allowing your child to settle themselves is a necessary achievement.
"It's OK for your child within reason to settle themselves in bed and you can differentiate between the kind of whining or crying that comes with not getting everything perfect and the kind of crying or screaming that signals there is big emergency," said Glovinsky.