Following are a number of steps that have proved to be effective in
responding to nighttime episodes. When these steps are carried out
consistently and calmly, most kids will get back to sleeping through
the night in a few weeks. Remember: if ever there was a time for our
No Talking and No Emotion Rules, it’s in the middle of the night!
Steps for Dealing with Nighttime Waking
- Accept some waking as normal. Treat periodic nighttime
waking as a temporary stage. This way of thinking will help
you be less upset. Of course, if the problem has been going on
for the last four years, it’s not a temporary stage and you
should talk to your pediatrician about the problem. - Don’t go to the child’s room unless you must. When do you
have to go to the child’s room during the night? If she is really
upset or won’t quiet down, you’d better check things out. On
the other hand, many kids will make some noise, fuss for a
while, and then go back to sleep. Give them a chance to do so. - No talking and no emotion. These calming rules apply doubly
for nighttime incidents, because talking and emotion—
especially anger—wake everyone up. Have you ever tried to
sleep when you’re furious? You can’t. In the middle of the
night, even asking a child what’s wrong is usually pointless,