is sleep-training cruel?
Jill Spivack: If sleep training were cruel, I would never have gotten involved in this profession! When a child learns any new skill, whether it’s riding a bike, tying their shoe or learning the rules of bedtime, there is always some frustration in the process. Frustration = crying. But in doing this for more than 13 years, all I’ve seen are families who are better rested and frankly, more attached, because the parents have more energy and enthusiasm for their kids the next day and the children are rested enough to receive love with joy! ML: How do we know that babies crying it out (even with intermittent checking and consoling by the parents) doesn’t adversely affect them? JS: Because we’ve tested this over time. Parents do not come back 10 years later and tell us their children have attachment disorders or any medical/psychological problems. The majority of families are thrilled that they worked on sleep when they did, and their children are thriving. If you ask most sleep specialist
