Hi - I just watched the youtube video about the sleep game, and I'm looking forward to trying it soon with my almost-nine-year-old, who currently needs me to sit in her room until she falls asleep. I plan to do it without the "theater" element.
First - do I tell her at the outset that the duration of my absence is going to increase over time, or do I just bring it up after a few days?
Second - I've also read your book. I had been considering just removing this sleep accommodation entirely (ie not sitting with her), but the "game" approach feels better to me for some reason. Do you have any general advice on when you'd recommend parents do the game vs removing the accommodation per the SPACE protocol?
Thank you so much.
I wish I had a response for you, as I’ve never tried the sleep game. I wish that I had heard of it when my child’s sleep issues first started when they were almost 9! Now they are almost 11. We’ve worked through one accommodatio removal plan (me no longer laying down at bedtime) and we’re starting the next one (big sibling not sleeping in bed with them) next Friday. I’d love to hear an update about if you tried the sleep game and if it worked! I empathize with what you’re going through. Sleep issues are so difficult!
Just to follow up on this... Thinking about it further, it seems to me that the game sort of bypasses the process of helping your kid learn to cope with experiencing the feeling of anxiety. Which I think is why it's so appealing, but does that take away an important benefit of going the more straightforward, accommodation-reduction route?