Straight talk about crying!

One of the most common concerns about sleep training is about the crying! “How long will my child have to cry?” I can’t really say, as every child is unique. It really depends, but some children will cry for an hour or more the first few nights. Others will cry for only a few minutes before they fall asleep. Some will figure things out within a few days. Others might take a couple weeks. Changing your child’s sleep habits will very likely be met with some protest! The best way for them to learn independent sleep skills is to let them figure it out on their own, but definitely not without tools and support!

The term “cry it out” method is known as the extinction method, which means after you’ve met your child’s needs, you lay them down for the night, close the door, and don’t check on them until morning. I don’t use this method to teach your little one how to sleep. The method I use is called responsive self-settling, which means that you’re responding to your child’s needs but at the same time, you’re allowing them to practice self-settling and self-soothing to fall asleep independently. This method can also be done while you’re right in the room with your child.

A little crying will not be the end of the world. Your child desperately needs to sleep in order for their minds to develop and so they can begin the day feeling rested, refreshed, and ready to learn!