Being Tired Is Not A Badge Of Honor

I saw a Facebook post today from a mom saying she finally understood why parents get excited about a three-hour stretch of sleep. The saddest part was when one of the commenters chimed in to say that 4.5 years into her parenting journey, she still wasn’t sleeping through the night.

This mom wasn't complaining. She was commiserating and also indirectly saying, "we parents are at the mercy of our children, no matter how old they are. Buckle up because years of sleep deprivation is what good parents endure." 

Reading this, you might feel like wanting better sleep therefore makes you a bad, selfish parent.

I'm here to strenuously argue with that idea.

First off, great sleep is an incredible gift to your child. I remember being absolutely gobsmacked when my oldest was a tiny baby and I put her on a schedule to try to prevent the evening witching hours. Not only did it cure those late afternoon and early evening blues, it also made her into the happiest baby I'd ever seen. I couldn't believe it. She literally never cried again. 

And also.

It doesn't have to be only about your child. Of course you don't want to do anything that would hurt or traumatize your little one. That's a given.

But it's also okay to sleep train because it makes life better, easier, and happier for you. You deserve to enjoy life. And again, the benefit comes back to your child because a happier parent leads to a happier child. You can't pour from an empty cup, the saying goes. 

If you're struggling with the decision to sleep train and wondering if you're a bad parent to consider it, that makes perfect sense. You're being bombarded with messages that good parents suffer silently and rejoice at doing so. 

Is that what you want your child to grow up thinking? That to prioritize one's own needs is selfish and wrong?  

I'd love to give you more information about your specific situation to help you figure out what is the best decision for your child right now. Whether or not that includes sleep training right now or ever. If it's the wrong time to sleep train to your child, I promise I'll tell you that, too. 

PS If you are ready to think about what sleep training or even just getting your baby on a better sleep schedule -- no cry it out required -- I invite you to schedule a free sleep consult here. I promise it'll be a painless experience!

PPS Still not sure? Check out these seventy-four 5-star reviews on Google of other parents' experiences working with me.