Julie Wright

A research-based guide to helping children do what comes naturally — sleep through the night. Many parents feel pressured to ‘train’ babies and young children to sleep. Sometimes hours are spent rocking, singing, and coaxing. But kids don’t need to be trained — they’re built to sleep. Over time, all that cajoling can have the opposite effect to what is desired. Problems can arise when parents (with the best of intentions) overhelp or ‘helicopter parent’ at night, overshadowing their baby’s biological ability to sleep well. In The Happy Sleeper, child-sleep experts Heather Turgeon and Julie Wright show parents how to avoid and undo cumbersome sleep habits. They provide guidance on how to be sensitive and nurturing, but also structured, so that your baby or young child can develop the skills they need in order to: fall asleep independentlysleep through the nighttake healthy napsacquire natural, optimal sleep patterns for day and night. Using these methods, parents can guide their children in learning how to soothe themselves to sleep — putting kids (and the whole family) on track to a full night’s sleep.

UPDATED IN 2024 Many parents feel pressured to "train" babies and young children to sleep. But kids don't need to be trained to sleep--they're built to sleep. Sleep issues arise when parents (with the best of intentions) over-help or "helicopter parent" at night, overshadowing their baby's innate biological ability to sleep well. In The Happy Sleeper, child sleep experts Heather Turgeon and Julie Wright show parents how to be sensitive and nurturing, but also clear and structured so that babies and little kids develop the self-soothing skills they need to: fall asleep independentlyestablish a full, 11-12 hour night of sleeptake regular, healthy napsgrow into natural, optimal sleep patterns for day and night. The Happy Sleeper is a research-based guide to helping children do what comes naturally--sleep through the night. The Happy Sleeper features a foreword by neuropsychiatrist and popular parenting expert Dr. Daniel Siegel, author of Parenting from the Inside Out and the New York Times bestseller Brainstorm.