Sleep – or maybe more so the lack of it – seems to be a huge issue to the majority of parents of young children.
So much so that getting babies to sleep has actually grown into a million dollar (or euros, if you must) industry. Books are churned out about it, TV shows are made about it and expert after expert are there waiting (if you pay up) to give you their two-cents worth on how to catch those much longed for Zs.
Many have been tempted into trying the so-called sleep training technique to get their infants and toddlers to sleep through the night, and while a lot of parents deem it very effective (albeit a little upsetting when you first start out), others again claim it to be bordering on child abuse.
Clearly people should be making up their own minds about what works for them, their kids and their family, but this blog post featured on Huffington Post has got the Internet talking (and arguing) about the concept of sleep training – and we couldn’t help but find it a pretty disturbing read.
Written as a fictive conversation between two friends, this is what the author thinks a conversation about sleep training would sound like if adults were made do it. Read it and judge for yourselves:
Sophie: My husband left me alone crying until I threw up.
Jess: But I bet you can now self soothe!
Jess: Happy husband happy wife hun x
Kate: How inconsiderate of you to expect him to comfort you. I bet you expected him to clean up your sick as well didn’t you? How utterly selfish!
Kate: And I hope he hasn’t made eye contact!
Jess: I’m sure it won’t do you any harm
Kate: I know other people who have done it and it didn’t do them any harm. Tough love.
Jess: Well my husband did it to me and I’m ok. And my cousins son’s neighbours aunties dogs kids husband did it and their kids are fine too!
Sophie: He made me sit on the stairs for ages earlier too, because I was joking around.
Kate: He needs to show u who’s boss hun. You got to learn xxx
Lisa: I know how you feel. I refused to eat my dinner earlier because I wasn’t hungry, so now I’m not allowed anything until tomorrow. I keep telling my boyfriend I’m hungry but he just ignores me. I’ve started to cry now but he still won’t let me eat anything.
Sophie: He just shouted at me to shut up.
Emma: That must have been sooooooooooooo hard for him, tell him well done for being so strong ((hugs))
Sophie: I’ve just tried to open the door. He’s holding it shut.
Kate: It won’t do you any harm, and anyway, you have to learn !
Nahla: What? OMG! Call the police! That’s abuse hun! He’s treating you like you would treat a child!!!
Jess: Ladies, will you stop manipulating your men!
Sam: It’s bedtime Sophie. You have to learn to self settle, otherwise you will be too dependant on him and that’s not acceptable. You will never learn to be a cold and detached adult if he gives in and cuddles you. Sorry but its best for everyone.
Jess: You’ll be fine. Oh wait..your an adult not a baby. Shit, that’s awful are you ok? What a bastard. I hope you threw up on him as you packed your bags and got the hell out.
Sophie:He came it. Didn’t look at me I tried to hug him he pushed me away and put me in bed.
Jess: And your problem is?
Sophie: He must hate me.
Sam: He’s doing it because he loves you. Because it’s better for you to go to sleep alone and feeling mentally and physically drained and feeling like no one gives a shit. That way you will sleep through the night, without disturbing his sleep.
Sophie: I’m scared.
Catherine: Sophie, be quiet and go to sleep. Your not scared, your testing. Now shush.
Lauren: Well as long as you have eaten and been to the toilet then there would be no other reason that your would need him!
Vanessa: Oh just shut up and go to sleep will you!
Sophie:But I’m hungry.
Vanessa: You should’ve eaten your dinner then!
Sophie: I keep waking up and calling for him. He must have left.
Vicky: Best thing to do Sophie is go to sleep. No one will come no matter how much you sob or call out for them.
Kate: It doesn’t even matter if you’re hungry, or too hot or cold, or simply need some cuddles. At this time of night husbands aren’t here to do what they do during the daytime. You’re just an inconvenience.
Rebecca: Sshh! Go to sleep or you’ll get a smack
Emma: He was prob at the end of his teather, girlfriends can be such hard work??
Sophie: He left me in my own sick didn’t clean me up. He didn’t hear me be sick so didn’t help me.
Emma: He must be so tired and frustrated.
Sophie: I tried to tell him I needed him. I just wanted a cuddle.
Sophie: Apparently I have sleep issues. That’s what they told my husband. And I need to learn.
Sophie: I don’t understand why the person I love the most doesn’t want to touch me or look at me
What do YOU think, dear readers? Did it make you think, and/or feel differently about the concept of sleep training? Or have you got a completely different (and very positive) experience of it you would like to share? Send me an e-mail at Trine.Jensen@Herfamily.ie
(Feature image via Cupofjo.com)
