PRP013: My Child Refuses Sleep

PRP013: My Child Refuses Sleep

Author: Nicole Weeks: PhD/Masters Provisional Psychologist, Mum of two, Science-Practitioner February 3, 2016 Duration: 19:40
Show Notes: My Child Refuses Sleep

Has your child become an expert at stalling bedtime? Have you gone through patches where your child refuses sleep? Most parents have been there. It is a most frustrating time, when long anticipated peace and quiet is just around the corner. Dr Ashley Soderlund, developmental psychologist from Nurture and Thrive Blog, provides great suggestions for diagnosing and addressing bedtime refusal.
Summary
The problem

Toddler or preschooler refuses sleep by using stalling tactics - asking for a drink, a cuddle, a story, grumbling

Suggestions

Look at the bedtime - is it too early or too late? Has your child dropped a nap and needs to sleep earlier? Does s/he just need less sleep now?
Perhaps your child is attempting to exert control. Provide apparent control through:

A consistent bedtime routine
A bedtime routine chart (Sign up to download ours)


Include a massage as part of the bedtime routine.
Use a toddler clock to cue bedtime (See a toddler clock review here).
Get out of Bed Free Tickets (also featured in the video below)
Check out the video below for more suggestions


Links

Nurture and Thrive Blog
Toddler Clock Review
Sign up for quality copies of our bedtime routine photos (Pictured below) and/or leaving the house routine sketches


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Is this scenario familiar to you? What has worked? What hasn't? Please share your wisdom in the comments below.

Thank you!

Ever feel like you're navigating the wild world of parenting by guesswork? You're not alone. The Practical Research Parenting Podcast is here to bridge the gap between academic journals and the day-to-day reality of raising kids. Hosted by Nicole Weeks, a provisional psychologist and a mum of two young children herself, this series digs into the evidence behind the big parenting topics without losing sight of the practical, often messy, application. Nicole brings her perspective as both a science-practitioner and a parent living through the toddler and preschooler years right alongside you. The conversation in this podcast begins with foundational issues like sleep and discipline, then evolves based on real questions-both those arising from her own family life and those sent in by the community. It’s specifically tailored for parents with children born from 2011 onward, making the discussions immediately relevant. You’ll find a thoughtful, relatable exploration of how research can inform our approaches to attachment, behaviour, and building positive, lasting connections with our little ones. It’s less about rigid rules and more about understanding the ‘why’ behind the strategies, giving you a grounded, evidence-based toolkit for your own parenting journey.
Author: Language: en-au Episodes: 33

Practical Research Parenting Podcast| evidence-based | raising children | positive parenting
Podcast Episodes
PR-P 002: Sleep Associations [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:04
Show Notes: Sleep Associations In this episode I examine sleep associations in the context of classical conditioning. I argue that the terms “dysfunctional associations", "inappropriate associations", "negative associati…