There's a lot of advice out there about sleep. In some ways, that's helpful. But in other ways, it can keep us stuck in an exhausting loop of what we think we should be doing. The problem is that sleep isn't really about what's right or wrong. It's about whether or not something is working for your family. If it's working for your family, there's absolutely no reason to layer on guilt because it doesn't look like the picture-perfect bedtime routine you saw on Instagram. And i

It's hard to believe, but school is either finished or wrapping up for many kids, and the official start of summer is right around the corner. Summer can bring slower days, later evenings, and plenty of fun in the sun. But it can also come with changes in routine, irregular schedules, and sleep disruptions that leave everyone feeling a little more tired than expected. The good news is that with a little planning, we can create a summer routine that gives us the freedom to enj

While it’s important for kids and families to get enough good quality sleep, how they go about it can look completely different depending on a family’s culture, schedule, and values. There’s no one “right” way to do bedtime, and part of our job is helping families create routines that are realistic, sustainable, and actually fit their lifestyle. Here are three areas where we can help families think through what works best for them. Where we sleep For some families, everyone

Now that we’ve talked about some of the reasons children may be taking a long time to fall asleep (if you missed last week’s blog, read it here), let’s look at five practical strategies BCBAs can share with families to help support faster sleep onset and smoother evenings. 1. Temporarily move bedtime to match when the child is actually falling asleep This strategy can feel very counterintuitive to caregivers, but it’s often one of the most effective. If a child’s bedtime is s

Does this sound familiar from the families you support? Parents report starting bedtime at 7:45, only for their child to still be awake at 9:15 after multiple trips out of the room, constant calling out, stalling, or escalating emotions. By the end of the night, everyone is exhausted, frustrated, and dreading bedtime the next day. If you work with children and families, you’ve probably seen how common this is. Parent surveys show that bedtime resistance happens at least occas

It happens all the time with sleep. You get a few days, or even a few weeks, of good sleep under your belt and think, “We’ve made it.” And then suddenly, you’re up all night again. That’s the thing about sleep. We never really “make it.” Sleep is constantly changing, and different stages of life or routine shifts can quickly throw things off track. Today on the blog, we’re talking about five common times when sleep tends to go off the rails a how planning for them ahead of ti