I'm a pediatric sleep doctor, author, and in my day job I run the Yale Pediatric Sleep Center. I've been writing about pediatric sleep issues for tired parents since 2012. Join my newsletter to get the best information about sleep problems (and solutions) in children.
🎄 Holiday Sleep Survival Guide: Keep Your Kids Rested (and Yourself Sane)!
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Honestly, I can't remember what holidays were like before I was a dad. I vaguely remember them being less stressful, but maybe less meaningful as well. It's really fun experiencing the magic of the holidays through your children's eyes. HOWEVER, if you have a little one, all of the travel, family time, and holiday excitement, can be stressful. REALLY stressful. And, if your kid's sleep is disrupted, it can result in tantrums, chaos, and conflict. In the latest episode of The Sleep Edit Podcast, (and our last of year), we cover:
And many other challenges related to the holidays. The fact is, things aren't going to be perfect, but they can be better. ​You can listen here. ​ Or, if you prefer video, here is the episode on Youtube: We have some great stuff in store for the podcast in 2025. Please listen and share so we can grow and make this sustainable. Happy holidays to you and those that you love Dr. Craig
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Craig Canapari MD
I'm a pediatric sleep doctor, author, and in my day job I run the Yale Pediatric Sleep Center. I've been writing about pediatric sleep issues for tired parents since 2012. Join my newsletter to get the best information about sleep problems (and solutions) in children.
When parents think sleep training, the often think about extinction or CIO sleep training. Although CIO sleep training works well for infants and younger toddlers, I prefer gentler methods for older toddlers and preschoolers, especially if they are anxious. The “Excuse Me Drill” and “Taking a break” are two simple, gentle techniques which work well for children two and up who need their parents to fall asleep. These are two of my favorite techniques, and in my book It’s Never Too Late To...
When parents think of sleep training, they are often just imagining extinction sleep training (commonly known as "cry it out" or CIO). Thus, they imagine lots of crying, tantrums, and battles when trying to change the status quo. The fact is, CIO doesn't work well for older kids anyway. That's why I love the Bedtime Pass. A simple yet effective tool for managing nighttime interruptions. Instead of battling wills, your child can use a "Bedtime Pass" for a trip out of their room or to call for...
It just got hot here in the Northeast, and the kids are at camp (one is a counselor, the other is a counselor in training) at our local day camp. There are a lot of things I like about camp for kids in the summer, especially if there is a bit outdoor component. The kids come home tired but happy. They have a lot of great stories of funny things that happen throughout the day (ESPECIALLY from my boy who is a counselor) They sleep terrifically well. Now, some kids have a less busy schedule...