How do you know if you need to hire a sleep coach for your preschooler (4 year old)?
Has anyone ever hired a sleep coach for a pre-schooler? Our 4yo has never been a good sleeper. We finally got her to go to bed at the same time as the big kids (instead of falling asleep in my wife's lap in the living room later), but my wife has to lay down with her until she falls asleep and then sneak out.
Then she wakes up a few times and comes downstairs. Each time, he takes her back up and stays until she falls asleep, until eventually she comes down when everyone is in bed and I am sleeping on the couch with our 2yo. The 2yo also predictably wakes up every single night and I can't seem to lay him back down successfully once he has woken up. I'm afraid the 4 yo's sleep issues will become the 2 yo's if we don't do something concrete now.
Answers ( 1 )
Your toddler may need more sleep if he/she is:
Especially moody, clingy, or over-active (being tired can cause a stress hormone called cortisol to kick in, resulting in a burst of energy)
Unusually accident-prone
Difficult to awaken
Does he/she insist that you lay down next to him to go to sleep? Or does he/she delay, asking for more water, more songs, or to twirl your hair for an hour before she’ll close her eyes? Maybe your child fights bedtime and is still waking up multiple times – slipping out of their bed and down the hall to yours.
Being consistent through the coaching process is critical for children of any age. Since it can take longer to coach toddlers and preschoolers, sticking with a plan can be hard and a sleep coach can support you in staying consistent until you’ve reached your sleep coaching goals.