Thanks to Annina Maunula for contributing this article!

If your child is having trouble falling asleep or is waking up at night, sleep school at home is a safe way to try to change your childโ€™s sleeping habits.

Overview of Sleep School

Sleep school is suitable for children over six months, so that the child can already cope the night without eating. The goal ofย  sleep school is for the child to learn to fall asleep on their own, without milk or help from parents.

There are several different types of sleep schools, but they all have a common basic idea: if a child cries when he goes to bed, the parent should go and comfort them. Soothing is gradually limited so that the child learns to calm him/herself to sleep.

In all sleep schools, the parent must act consistently. When sleep schools are consistently followed, parents should observe changes in the sleep of a healthy child within 3-4 nights.

Sleep School Basics

  • Put the child in their bed while they’re sleepy but awake.
  • Say good night and leave.
  • If your child starts to resist or cry, go visit them after a pre-determined time.
  • When you visit the child, tell them that everything is fine, it’s night and time to sleep. Always say the same thing and speak calmly. Do not lift the child out of bed. Leave the room.
  • Listen. If the child cries and does not seem to be satisfied, go back after a pre-determined time and do the same as the last time.
  • Subsequently, if the child gets upset again, wait a little longer before you go to the child’s room. In the following nights, you can extend the time even further. Continue sleep school for a week.

Here are three primary methods of sleep school:

1) The Touch Method

  • Put the child in their bed while they’re sleepy but awake. Exit. If the child cries, listen before you rush to their room.
  • If crying continues or intensifies, go to the child and place your hands firmly on the child’s back. Keep your hand still until the child calms down, but donโ€™t let them fall asleep with your hand on their back.
  • If the child does not calm down, stroke them with noticeable, regular movements from the shoulders, back and buttocks.
  • If this does not help either, lift the child into your arms against your chest. When the child calms down, put them back in the bed. Hold your hand on the child’s back for a moment. Do not allow the child to fall asleep with your hand on their back.
  • Repeat if necessary.

2) The Chair Method

  • Put the child in the bed awake. Lie down yourself or sit right next to them. If the child is crying, comfort them by whispering or even humming calmly. Do not lift them into your arms.
  • The next night, sit right next to the childโ€™s bed or on the bed.
  • The following night, sit a little further from the child’s bed. Over the course of the next nights, gradually move the chair away from the child’s bed until you are outside the child’s bedroom door.

3) The Planned Wake-Ups Method

  • Take notes of your childโ€™s night rhythm for a week to find out your childโ€™s typical wake-up times.
  • Set yourself an alarm and wake your child 15 to 30 minutes before the usual night wake-up time. Soothe your child back to sleep in the same way you have calmed them down before.
  • Follow the same night wake-up time for a few days.
  • Then postpone the wake-up time by half an hour. Follow the new wake-up time again for a few days.
  • Gradually increase the wake-up time, always just closer to the morning. If there is more than one wake-up during the night, the later one falls off first and then the earlier one.

Prerequisites for Success

Be calm and patient as the child responds to the parent’s mood. It’s better for the more rested parent to take care of the childโ€™s night wake-ups.

Giving affection during the day provides the basis for a good nightโ€™s sleep. Keep your child close during daytime. Love, affection, and touch are basic needs for children and especially for babies.

Try not to let the child eat while falling asleep. For example, if your baby falls asleep while breastfeeding, wake them gently so that they know they’re being moved to their own bed. When a child wakes up at night, it is important for them to notice that they are in the same place where they fell asleep. A familiar blanket, soft toy, or pacifier will help your child calm down.

Children may initially react to new sleeping arrangements by crying fiercely, but they will get used to it when the parents are consistent. Regular daily rhythm is also needed for the sleep school to work.

Some babies under the age of one may still need night feedings, but for some the milk is just a habit. Start giving them water instead of milk to wean them.

You can always contact one of our mentors if you are unsure about something. We’ve had our share of sleepless nights too and are happy to provide tips and support.

This Post Has 29 Comments

  1. I am not sure where you’re getting your info, but great topic.

    I needs to spend some time learning much more or understanding more.
    Thanks for great information I was looking for this information for my mission.

  2. Owen

    Fascinating blog! Is your theme custom made or did you download it from somewhere?
    A theme like yours with a few simple tweeks would really make my
    blog stand out. Please let me know where you got your design. Appreciate it

    1. dweebsanddogs

      It’s currently based on Ocean WP on WordPress. Hope this helps you!

  3. Aidyn

    Fantastic blog you have here but I was wanting to know if you
    knew of any community forums that cover the same topics talked
    about in this article? I’d really love to be a part of online
    community where I can get suggestions from other experienced individuals that share the same interest.
    If you have any recommendations, please let me know.
    Kudos!

  4. Patricia

    Good day! I simply wish to give you a huge thumbs up for the
    excellent info you’ve got right here on this post.
    I am returning to your blog for more soon.

    1. dweebsanddogs

      Thanks, Patricia!

  5. William

    Hello to every one, the contents present at this web page are
    really amazing for people experience, well,
    keep up the nice work fellows.

    1. dweebsanddogs

      Thank you, William! We really appreciate your feedback.

  6. Roy

    Hi there, i read your blog occasionally and i own a similar
    one and i was just wondering if you get a lot of spam remarks?

    If so how do you stop it, any plugin or anything you can advise?
    I get so much lately it’s driving me insane so any support is very much appreciated.

    1. dweebsanddogs

      Hi Roy! Thanks for asking. We get tons of spam messages and have to go through them manually – though we’ve started blocking anything with a URL in the comment. You can do this under Settings >> Discussion if you’re using WordPress on your website.

  7. Andrew

    Unquestionably believe that which you said. Your favorite reason seemed to be on the internet the simplest thing to be aware of.
    I say to you, I definitely get irked while people think about worries that
    they plainly do not know about. You managed to hit the nail upon the top and also defined out the
    whole thing without having side effect , people can take a signal.
    Will likely be back to get more. Thanks

  8. Carmen

    Hello, Neat post. There’s an issue along with your
    website in internet explorer, would check this? IE still is the marketplace
    leader and a huge element of folks will omit your great writing
    because of this problem.

    1. dweebsanddogs

      Thanks for pointing out this issue, Carmen. It works with IE on our end now – so we hope it’s fixed on yours!

  9. Natalie

    fantastic points altogether, you simply received a emblem
    new reader. What may you recommend about your publish
    that you just made a few days in the past?
    Any positive?

    1. dweebsanddogs

      Thanks for the feedback! We don’t quite get your question – so please ask us at http://www.dweebsanddogs.com/contact or reply here with more information and we’ll be sure to answer you.

  10. Samanthasofia

    Good answers in return of this issue with real arguments and
    describing the whole thing about that.

    1. dweebsanddogs

      Thank you, Samantha!

  11. Alena

    These are actually great ideas in on the topic of blogging.

    You have touched some pleasant things here. Any way keep up wrinting.

    1. dweebsanddogs

      Thank you so much for the kind words, Alena!

  12. Hannahsmit

    Hey! I could have sworn I’ve been to this blog before but after reading through some of the post I realized it’s new to me.
    Nonetheless, I’m definitely glad I found it and I’ll be book-marking and checking back often!

    1. dweebsanddogs

      So glad it’s useful and to be added to your reading list, Hannah. If you ever need tailored help, please feel free to contact us.

  13. Aubriella

    Pretty section of content. I just stumbled upon your web site and in accession capital to assert that I acquire in fact enjoyed account
    your blog posts. Anyway I’ll be subscribing to your augment and even I achievement you access consistently
    fast.

  14. Ronnie

    Very good info. Lucky me I found your website by chance (stumbleupon).
    I’ve saved it for later!

  15. johan

    Its like you read my mind! You seem to know a lot about this, like you wrote the book in it
    or something. I think that you could do with a few pics to drive the message home a bit, but instead of that,
    this is magnificent blog. A fantastic read.
    I will definitely be back.

  16. Madalynn

    What’s up all, here every one is sharing such know-how, thus it’s good to read this weblog, and I used to go to
    see this website daily.

  17. Kaia

    Hey there, You have done a great job. I’ll definitely digg it and personally recommend
    to my friends. I’m sure they’ll be benefited from this website.

    1. dweebsanddogs

      Thank you, Kaia!

  18. Royal CBD

    Hello, Neat post. There is an issue together with your web site in web explorer, would test this?
    IE still is the market chief and a large section of folks
    will leave out your wonderful writing because of this problem.

    1. dweebsanddogs

      Thanks for making us aware of this issue! It’s working on IE on our end but we’re going to be making some upgrades that should hopefully fix this issue entirely :).

Leave a Reply