Your Questions About Children and Sleep, Answered

In this Q&A edition of the Thriving Kids Podcast , Dr. Dave Anderson takes on parents’ top questions about kids and sleep. From breaking the habit of co-sleeping to tackling bedtime fears, setting routines that stick, and knowing when to drop naps, he offers practical strategies to make nights calmer for the whole family. Have a question for Dr. Dave? Email podcast@childmind.org What you’ll learn: • Step-by-step ways to help kids learn to fall asleep independently • How to create a bedroom environment that promotes restful sleep • When a soothing bedtime routine turns into stalling—and how to handle it • Signs that nighttime fears are typical vs. when they signal anxiety • Why removing screens at night matters (and how to offer alternatives) • Clues your child may be ready to shorten or give up daytime naps • Tips for managing siblings with different sleep needs and schedules • How to respond when kids keep getting out of bed after lights out • The truth about weekend late nights and sleep-ins