There’s no shortage of parenting advice floating around, and if you’re anything like me, you may feel overwhelmed by it all. However, if you can endure just a bit more, I urge new parents to pay attention to their sleep-training friends.
I typically shy away from giving parenting advice myself; my approach could be labeled “default parenting.” This is the style where you experiment with various parenting trends, typically fail, and then resort to whatever works. Yet, there’s one piece of wisdom I deeply regret not adopting: I never sleep-trained my children. And oh, how my sanity has suffered for it.
Recently, I came across an enlightening piece titled “In Defense of Ridiculously Early Bedtimes.” As if there were any need to justify such a practice! Who wouldn’t prefer some peaceful couch time instead of wrestling with bedtime routines into the early hours? The author, Sarah Collins, a science journalist with a parenting column, consistently puts her kids to bed by 7:30 PM, and she’s reaping the rewards. Research backs her claims: children who sleep earlier are generally better rested, happier, and even more intelligent.
Collins reviews several studies, making it abundantly clear that bedtime matters. For instance, one study showed that children aged 8 to 12 who went to bed an hour earlier experienced improved emotional regulation and enhanced memory and attention skills compared to their peers with later bedtimes. Another study revealed that toddlers with early bedtimes were 62% less likely to face attention issues and 81% less likely to exhibit aggressive behavior by age 8.
Not only do kids sleep longer when they’re tucked in earlier, but they may also enjoy more restorative rest. An added bonus? Earlier bedtimes can significantly improve parental well-being. Imagine savoring a glass of wine in peace or finally catching up on that series you’ve been meaning to watch! Trust me, it’s divine. After five years of sleepless nights and zero personal time, I’ve earned the right to be a little perturbed.
That adorable newborn whose cries you’re reluctant to let go of will soon morph into a rambunctious toddler, making bedtime a nightly battle. When my first child was three, he still slept in a pack-n-play because he would otherwise roam his room endlessly. You might think I’m exaggerating, but I assure you, I’m not. Every night, despite putting him to bed at 8 PM, he would chat to himself for hours. Now at five, he still does it.
My younger daughter, on the other hand, has a more reasonable bedtime—largely because I was so worn out by child number one that I drew the line when she resisted early sleep. Unlike her brother’s cries, I was prepared for the consequences if I didn’t enforce a schedule. However, one child’s sleep struggles can disrupt the whole household.
I vividly recall my attempts at the cry-it-out method with my then four-month-old, whispering apologies as I rushed to comfort him through his sobs. I never looked back after that moment of weakness.
I’m not afraid to admit when I’m wrong, and this is one of those instances. There is ample research affirming that earlier bedtimes are beneficial for kids. Establishing a sleep schedule when they are infants could save you a world of frustration later. You’ll be far happier watching “Stranger Things” without interruptions instead of reading “Goodnight Moon” for the umpteenth time.
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In summary, if you can embrace the advice of your sleep-training friends, you may find that the benefits far outweigh the temporary discomfort of enforcing a schedule.