Kids Sleeping Tips: Helping Kids Fall Asleep Alone

I think that Sleep Rules is "a gentle way to help" get kids sleeping better, but let's face it, many moms are too tired (read: "sleep deprived") to get it going and stick with it consistently.

Implementing and sticking to the plan of Sleep Rules works best when father is on board. Teamwork is much more likely to create success because when a parent is sleep deprived than it is hard to think straight. So consider starting Sleep Rules on Saturday and letting dad have nap and night duty. He can do Silent Return to sleep on Saturday and Sunday nights so mom can get caught up on her sleep and take over on Monday. An alternative is for the parents to take turns doing Silent Return to Sleep.

Often the evening curtain calls requiring Silent Return to sleep—and there may be plenty of them—occur within the first 1-2 hours after bedtime, so don't worry that you will never get any sleep over night. The number of curtain calls might increase during the second night as your child tries harder to get back to old style. Usually by night 3-4 the number of curtain calls dramatically decreases.

More from Dr. Weissbluth:

• Twin sleep issues
• Sleep for colicky babies
• Getting babies to fall asleep earlier
• Sleeping through the night
• When toddlers climb out of their cribs
• Getting kids to stay in bed
• Crying at bedtime
• Keeping kids in their own rooms
• Naps for fussy babies
• Crying it out
• Putting kids back to bed