Is It Too Late to Teach My Preschoolers How to Sleep?
This is a question I hear all the time, and it often comes with a sense of urgency.
Parents frequently ask me:
- Have I left it too late to sort out my 12-month-old’s sleep?
- My 3-year-old is still feeding through the night; where do I even start?
- My 5-year-old has never slept in her own bed
The good news is that it is NEVER too late to improve sleep hygiene and teach your little ones how to sleep better. While age may influence cognitive understanding and the duration of negative associations, foundational sleep routines can benefit children of all ages.
The Basics of Sleep Routine
Regardless of your child’s age, there are essential sleep foundations that everyone can implement. The key is to adjust these strategies to fit your unique situation. During each consultation, we discuss these foundations and develop a personalized plan that will best support your family’s needs.
That’s the secret to seeking professional help: I draw on years of experience with over 20,000 clients to help you create the best plan for your family.
While I primarily work with children from birth to age 3, I often assist families with older children as well. Recently, I had the pleasure of working with a family that included two little girls, ages 7 and 3. Despite having an impeccable routine and diet, these parents found themselves in a challenging sleep situation.
A Case Study: Transitioning from Co-Sleeping
The family had been co-sleeping until last year when they moved into a new home with smaller bedrooms. The girls began sharing a bed and room, which disrupted their sleep patterns.
They had a beautiful bedtime routine that included:
- Connection time at the end of the day
- No TV
- Warm baths
- Wind-down time with white noise and lavender essential oils
- Story time and cuddles before bed
However, one parent (usually Mom) would lay with them until they fell asleep, which could take up to 45 minutes. After spending nearly an hour in a dark room trying to settle the girls, parents found themselves exhausted and missing out on much-needed time together or personal downtime.
During the night, both girls would wake several times and come into their parents’ room. From 11 PM to 4 AM, Mom and Dad would be up multiple times returning them to their own beds and waiting with them until they settled again. This cycle not only drained the parents but also increased anxiety, particularly for the 7-year-old.
The Importance of Self-Regulation
When children do not learn to self-regulate early on, they often seek external support for settling and calming down, leading to increased anxiety as their emotions become more complex. Teaching your children how to self-settle can also empower them to regulate their emotions in age-appropriate ways.
For this family, we implemented a version of my Taming Toddlers Bedtime Programe, customized to fit their unique circumstances. After our initial consultation, we had regular check-ins over the following three weeks, making adjustments to the settling plan as the girls improved.
A Successful Transition
By week three, both girls were sleeping in their own beds, self-settling, and sleeping through the night. They were proud of their accomplishments and felt happier and more confident in their new skills.
Here’s what Mom shared after our consultation:
“After several years of co-sleeping, our family faced challenges when we moved into a house with smaller bedrooms. We couldn’t fit all the beds in, which led to our girls regularly waking us up at night. Thanks to the professional guidance of Lullaby SOS, our girls are now settling themselves independently at bedtime and staying in their own beds all night long. We are in awe of how well the simple, child-friendly techniques have worked to support us and our girls along their sleep journey. We can’t thank you enough!”
Whether you have a toddler or a preschooler, it’s never too late to help your child learn to sleep independently. With the right support and a tailored plan, you can create a positive sleep environment that benefits the entire family. Don’t hesitate to reach out for professional guidance—together, we can turn sleep struggles into peaceful nights.