Does independent sleep need to be taught?

Independent sleep? Co-sleeping? Parental assistance with sleep? There are a lot of opinions all over the place. On this episode, I welcome Dr Shelby Harris, a licensed clinical psychologist who is board certified and specializing in behavioral sleep medicine to discuss if there is an age where a child needs to be taught independent sleep if they haven’t learned it on their own. We discuss:  The age or signs that independent sleep skills need to be taught  Common concerns for an older child who isn’t able to fall asleep or connect sleep cycles on their own Where to begin with approaching independent sleep skills with a child who hasn’t Find out more about Dr. Shelby Harris and her book “The Women’s Guide to Overcoming Insomnia” (paid link) at drshelbyharris.com or connect on Instagram or TikTok @SleepDocShelby For more on sleep issues watch Dr. Mona's "Handling Infant and Toddler Sleep Regressions" video on YouTube. Check out my weekly videos on child health & development by ⁠subscribing to PedsDocTalk on YouTube⁠. Get trusted pediatric advice, relatable parenting insights, and evidence-based tips delivered straight to your inbox—join thousands of parents who rely on the PDT newsletter to stay informed, supported, and confident. ⁠⁠⁠⁠Join the newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠! And don’t forget to follow ⁠⁠⁠⁠@pedsdoctalkpodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠ on Instagram—our new space just for parents looking for real talk and real support. We love the sponsors that make this show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on the ⁠⁠PedsDocTalk Podcast Sponsorships⁠⁠ page of the website.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices