How to Get a Child to Sleep Through the Night

A very challenging aspect of parenting is getting our children to sleep through the night. Every child is different so there is no secret formula. However, this is a method that can work.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Determination
• Consistency

1. First, try to discover why the child continually wakes up. Is it because of bad dreams? Could it be that their daytime nap was too long? Getting to the root of the problem can help you to solve it.

2. If you child is old enough to understand, tell him that he is expected to stay in his room at night. Explain that when it is dark, the whole family needs to sleep at night.

3. If the child starts crying in the middle of the night, do check in and see what is wrong. Reassure her of any fears and let her know she is safe. Then exit the room. Do not prolong your visit. Be firm that it is still time to sleep and that you need to go back to your bed and she needs to stay in hers.

4. More than likely, you will have to repeat this process more than once the first few nights. If you are consistent and don't give in, it should only take a few nights for it to sink in.

Tips & Warnings

• Give stickers or some kind of other "award" if the child had a successful night.
• Buy a special stuffed animal that will help the child feel safe and loved.
• Get a dreamcatcher for you child's room. It might help if they believe it will work.
• Do not let your child sleep in your bed, this will only make it worse.
• Always make sure that the child is okay. You can usually tell by the sound of your own child's cry.