Comments on: Soho Parenting’s Sleep Philosophy

By: Caroline

Caroline — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 17:50:30 +0000

We have depended on the soho parenting approach to teach our son the foundation of sleep at 6mos, 18 mos, and 27 months, employing different measures that all worked well. Our son understands and looks forward to sleep time, even when visiting friends and family on trips. His parent’s relationship also benefits! Less irritability all around makes a happier home.

By: Stasha Hughes

Stasha Hughes — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 02:34:31 +0000

Although I often wish that my husband and I had been able to follow Soho Parenting’s sleep advice, we were not able to come to the decision to let our baby cry in order to learn how to sleep on her own. I honestly wish we had been able to do it, because part of me believes she would be a much better sleeper and I would be a better mother, and her life might be more predictable and focused. On the other hand, all the self recrimination on my part for not succeeding in doing it, and anger at my husband about his lack of support for the idea, has also been detrimental. Isn’t it true that about 50% of families do not follow this type of method? That some of their children do end up learning how to sleep on their own eventually? That they do go on to live happy and successful lives? I know from personal experience that there are families that somehow thrive without doing this, and that their children are not without limits in general, that they are intelligent and happy as well. I hope so, because even now, though I might wish to “cry it out” at the age of a year and a half, I don’t know if I will be able to do it without the support I need from my husband and others. And it is not because I don’t believe in letting children cry for any reason, it is just practical and emotional.

By: Judy Bernstein

Judy Bernstein — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 10:14:40 +0000

This piece provides great advice, not only regarding the specific issue of sleep, but also offers a parenting philosophy in which the parent evaluates the child’s needs in the moment and responds with wise compassion. Thank you for delineating all the facts about sleep and placing this important issue at center stage in the life of the family, because it definitely affects everyone!

By: KCF

KCF — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 13:02:00 +0000

As a parent who followed Soho Parenting’s sleep training advice and as a family who enjoyed peaceful nights (12 hours from 7 to 7) from my babies from the age of 3 months on, I can vouch for the power and real-life applications of your philosophy. My kids were and continue to be excellent sleepers and they’re teenagers now. And, I do believe that it set an important tone for our parenting to come. I turned my sister on to your philosophy, too, and her 2 daughters (also now pre-teens and teenagers) were successful sleepers from babyhood onward. 4 very different kids — it works.