They called it the Bedtime Star Chart, and it was the last thing Julian and his mom read together when she was putting him down. But, warn the experts, as we parent during the day, so should we parent at night. Rewarding Good Sleepers Helen Rosenberg and Joel Frankel, of Chicago, are the first to own up to inconsistency. We made a calendar together and put it on the fridge, and every morning Layla crossed off another day. A bribe is just a way of paying your kid off before he's done anything at all.
Most experts think outright bribery often backfires.
Rewards, on the other hand, foster cooperation and instill a sense of pride in kids once they've accomplished their goal. Now 3, Gillian spends much of the night with her mom and dad. What 'family bed' often means is that the child comes into bed with Mom, and Dad goes out to the couch. At first, stay with him until he falls asleep, and don't forget to explain the situation to him. For children age 4 and up, William Sears, M.D., author of Nighttime Parenting and a Parenting contributing editor, suggests setting rules.