The way to correct your child's poor sleeping habits is for both parents to agree that there is a problem and on a plan to correct this habit. If one parent thinks there is a problem and wants to do something about it, and the other parent brings the child into the parents' bed, then the attempts of the one parent to solve the problem will not be successful and the parents will probably get into a fight in the middle of the night. When you are ready to help your child learn good sleep habits, be sure your child is feeling well. If he is ill, then wait until he feels better.

Next, pick a night when neither parent has to be awake and alert the following day. Friday night is usually a good choice. It is also a good idea to tell your other children what you are doing, and reassure them that you are not hurting your child by letting him cry at bedtime.

To start your plan to establish better sleeping habits in your child, put your child to bed at the regular established time after your bedtime ritual. Act normally, then say, "Good night". Do not be angry or yell at your child. Then leave his room. If your child starts crying, do not go back into his room immediately. If he calls for you, you may say, "It is time to go to sleep. I love you. I'll see you in the morning."

If your child continues to cry or talk to you, call in every 5-10 minutes. Alternatively, you may go into your child's room and pat him on the back. Tell him that everything is OK, then leave his room. Each night you can extend the interval when you re-enter his room by 10 or 15 minutes.

When you re-enter your child's room, try not to pick up your child or feed him. Resist the temptation, even if an hour has passed, to bring your child out of his room into your bed. Bringing your child into your bed after an hour of crying teaches him that he will have to cry for 60 minutes to gain entry into his parents' bed.

Letting a child cry to try and teach him good sleep habits does not physically or emotionally harm your child; it merely teaches your child good sleep habits. If you do not rush in to pick up your child when he is crying, he will not feel a sense of abandonment. At this point your child is exhausted and fighting sleep.

The first night is the toughest. Have dinner or engage in conversation to try to distract you both. Keep reassuring each other that although it is difficult, you are both making a start on the problem and that within a week your child will be sleeping well at night.