Q: I feel like I have already read and tried everything out there on sleep training. What makes The Sleep Sense™ Program different?
A: The reason that The Sleep Sense™ Program is so popular is because it’s clear, simple, and easy to follow. Plus, it allows parents to choose between different approaches based on their child’s temperament and personality, and what the parents feel comfortable with.
Q: Is The Sleep Sense™ Program a version of the “Cry-It-Out” (CIO) method?
A: No.
The “cry-it-out” method works like this:
Step 1: Put child to bed.
Step 2: Walk away.
Step 3: Let child scream, cry, howl etc. until child is asleep.
Now, while the CIO method can work, most parents simply aren’t comfortable with it. I don’t think a parent’s brain is “wired” to listen to the hysterical crying of their child without doing something to comfort them!
That being said, you should make peace with the fact that your child will probably cry during the process (See "Straight Talk about Crying" under my section on Philosophy). After all, babies can’t say things like “Hey, I actually preferred it when you were nursing or rocking me to sleep four times a night… Can we go back to that system?” Instead, they cry!
Q: My child is no longer a baby. Is The Sleep Sense™ Program appropriate for toddlers and preschoolers?
A: Yes. The method used for older children is obviously different from that for babies. it is rarely ever too late to sleep train i.e. teach your child great and independent sleep habits.
Q: I have twins/triplets. Will The Sleep Sense™ Program work for me?
A: Absolutely! There's a little more work (isn’t everything when you have multiples?) but it’s 100% doable!
Q: I share a room with my child. Will The Sleep Sense™ Program work for me?
A: Yes. If you’re sharing a room with your child, a great strategy is to set up a partition or divider of some kind between you and your child for the first little while. (This can be as simple as hanging a sheet over a clothesline.)
Once your child is sleeping well through the night, you can remove the divider (if you choose).
