Sleep Philosophy
My sleep philosophy and the sleep sense™ method
Hello! I’m Han Ying, a Paediatric Sleep Consultant in Singapore, certified by the Sleep Sense™ Program.
The Sleep Sense™ Method was created by Dana Obleman in 2003 out of a strong belief that healthy sleep habits make for healthy children.
A well-rested child is curious, energetic, happy, playful, and eager to learn.
When parents ask for help with their child’s sleep issues, they are placing a great deal of trust in me, and I want to let you know that I take this responsibility very seriously.
The Sleep Sense™ Method strikes a balance between your child’s need to sleep and his/her need to feel secure and comforted.
We encourage parents to offer as much comfort and support as they feel is necessary while their child learn the skills to fall asleep independently.
The Sleep Sense approach proudly celebrates a 98% success rate because it is so much easier for parents to adhere to than conventional “cry it out” methods.
Is my child going to cry a lot & is it okay to let my child cry?
One of the most common questions we get about our method is whether it involves “crying it out”.
We, as an adult, tend to resist change in our life.
The same goes for our child. So, when we make changes to their sleep habits, guess what happens? Our child protests by crying and that is how they communicate.
That is why I am always sure to tell parents that they can expect some amount of protest from their child.
If anybody has ever told you that they can guarantee your child is not going to protest when you make changes, I would be very sceptical.
So, I cannot guarantee and promise that there will be no protest during the sleep training process. But I can promise you that I will never ask you to leave your child to protest alone, nor will I ask you to completely ignore his/her cries.
I will customise an easy-to-follow, step-by-step sleep plan that takes your concerns into consideration and lets you make some choices about what the right approach for your child would be based on his/her temperament and personality.
The bottom line is that you, as a parent, need to be comfortable with your new sleep plan in order for it to work for your child.
When your sleep plan is implemented properly and consistently, you will be sure to notice a difference in your child’s immunity, growth, learning, mood, and development as a result of good sleep.