What is the Huggy Puppy? How can it help children who are afraid at night or who are having trouble sleeping because they were exposed to trauma? The Huggy Puppy intervention (HPI) was developed by Professor Avi Sadeh as a brief intervention to help young children cope with severe stress [...]
My toddler keeps throwing his lovey out of the crib at bedtime and then screaming for it. What should I do? Toddlers quickly learn that their actions result in certain reactions from those around them. If they throw a lovey (such as a teddy bear or blankie) out of the crib at bedtime or naptime and [...]
Where is it safest for a baby to sleep? Sleep environment and safety is very important! The most important thing to do is to make sure you put your baby down on her back. Be sure her own sleep surface is firm, flat, and free from anything that may disrupt her breathing (risk of suffocation) such as [...]
Is it safe to let my baby sleep with pacifiers that have stuffed animals or a ribbon attached to them? Those pacifiers with little toys on them are adorable. But their safety when your baby is sleeping really depends on your little one’s age and the product. If your little one is less than 12 [...]
How do I get her to stay in her bed? If your little one is running out of her bed at night, it may be because she thinks the adults in the house are doing something very exciting and that her room is a less exciting place to be. So, do something to switch that around – make her room a fun place [...]
How do I get my toddler to nap? Getting your toddler to nap actually starts with a good, consistent bedtime and a good, consistent wake time. A bedtime of around 7:00-8:00 p.m. and a wake time of about 6:00-7:00 a.m. will help set the stage for a toddler who is ready to nap in the early afternoon. [...]
How can my preschooler fall asleep without electronics? Often, little ones need electronics such as a smart phone, tablet, or television in order to fall asleep. Considering how stimulating these devices can be for young children, discouraging their use at bedtime is a good idea. At the same time, [...]
How can I get her attached to a lovie? To get a little one attached to a lovie, or transitional object, such as a blanket or a favorite toy, you can start associating the lovie with pleasant activities. For many little ones, those pleasant activities could be cuddling, feeding, or simply going [...]
My toddler lost her lovie. What do I do? Children can lose their lovies (for example, favorite toy or blanket) at any time, anywhere. And this can be very upsetting to them. If your little one loses her lovie, there are several things you can do to be supportive in helping her deal with the loss of [...]
My baby hates his crib. How can I change that? One of the biggest myths is that when you put a baby into her crib and she’s crying it’s because she hates her crib. That’s absolutely not true! Babies typically cry at bedtime because they are tired and they want to sleep. Little ones actually [...]