Is it ok for my toddler to watch a video or play games on a screen during his bedtime routine? It may be intuitive to think that introducing technology use into your child’s bedtime routine is an emphatic ‘No’. This may be based on your own experiences of using a device before [...]
My child has developmental delays. What should I know about her sleep? Children with developmental delay take longer to reach their milestones than others of the same age. They may be late to use the potty or may still have tantrums long after their peers. In just the same way, they can take longer [...]
Should I use music to help my baby get to sleep? Music can be a nice addition to the bedtime routine, especially if it seems to help your little one relax. You can play any type of music that your baby seems to enjoy; there is not a great deal of evidence to suggest that one type of music or sound [...]
When do babies sleep through the night? Most babies are ready and able to start sleeping for long stretches, up to 8 to 10 hours, by 3 to 6 months of age. In the first few months, newborns can only sleep for a few hours at a stretch as they need to be fed at least every 2 to 3 hours. And often much [...]
What is sleep training? Just like so many areas of development, children typically need help learning how to self-soothe to sleep. This process is often referred to as “sleep training.” Although there are multiple approaches, sleep training typically involves helping your child learn how to [...]
How can I build good sleep habits for my baby? There are many ways to do this, particularly after 3 months of age when your baby’s crying should have settled down and your baby is becoming more alert and awake during the daytime. Start by establishing a feed-play-sleep pattern, that is feed your [...]
Is it okay to give my toddler (12 months to 36 months) melatonin? We do not recommend giving melatonin to toddlers and there is little rigorous evidence that it helps children this young. Most toddlers who cannot get to sleep at the start of the night (the time when melatonin has the best effect), [...]
What’s a bedtime pass and can I use it with my toddler? The bedtime pass (BP) is a great option for older toddlers and children who are disruptive after lights out, and sometimes do things like calling out, making multiple requests, or coming out of the bedroom after bedtime (or during [...]
My toddler asks to go to the potty after lights out. What should I do? This is common among young children who are in the process of toilet training. Requesting to use the potty (self-initiation) is the final step in mastering independent toileting – so, it’s actually a great sign! Many parents [...]
My partner is about to deploy and usually does bedtime. Help! Many parents in military families act as a single parent at one time or another, if they are not single parents all of the time. Preparing for a deployment can be a real challenge with a multitude of things to plan for – and, frankly, [...]