Shannon Glenn is the owner and founder of Sleep Well Children Consulting and a Certified Pediatric Sleep Specialist. She is dedicated to helping parents assist their children and babies in developing healthy sleep habits. With a B.A. in Psychology, Shannon has worked extensively with children and their families for over 15 years in a variety of settings. She has been offering sleep solutions for over six years.
Can toddlers become good sleepers?
I get a lot of calls from parents with toddlers. Why is my toddler still having sleep issues? Is it too late to help my child sleep better? Can you help? These are some of the questions I am asked when a parent calls me with a toddler who is not sleeping well.
There are different reasons for every toddler who is having sleep issues and I can never give a parent a single answer to that question. Sometimes it is because your child’s body has gotten used to waking up in the middle of the night each night and so it is out of habit. Other times is it because your child is so overtired that he struggles to settle himself down at night and consequently has trouble staying asleep. Also timing could be the issue, meaning that the optimal time for your child to sleep has been missed. I have to learn a lot about the child to find out exactly what is going on.
I can relate and understand the discouragement in a parent’s voice when I am asked if it is just too late for their child to be a good sleeper. They have had family tell them that their child is just not going to be a good sleeper or they have had a friend say they should have done something long ago, now it’s too late. I am always so pleased to answer this question! No, it is not too late. It will take patience and consistency, however toddlers can become good sleepers too!
Finally can I help? That is a one word answer….yes! I work with families with toddlers all the time and every time the toddler is sleeping better by the time I say good bye. Barring there are no underlying medical issues going on with the child (which I rule out before I start with a family), it will work.
Toddlers are so enjoyable and fun to be around. Imagine how much more enjoyable and fun a well rested toddler would be to himself and everyone else?
Why didn’t we try this sooner?! As we speak he is sound asleep in his crib – and has been since 7:15 pm.
Karianne Wanggaard
Sleep Well Sleep Specialists
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Working with Shannon, I went from 2-3 wake ups every night to 1 or 0. She aligned the plan with my preferred sleep cycle. She was always coaching, never judging. Shannon was great, I have referred MANY people to her! That's the best testament to her work that I can give.
Laura