by Dana Obleman

I created "The Sleep Sense Program" because I feel strongly that healthy sleep habits make for healthy children. A well-rested child is curious, energetic, happy, playful, and eager to learn.

When parents entrust me as their child's "sleep guide," either through one-on-one consultations, seminars, or through my book, they are placing a great deal of trust in me, and I want to let you know that I take this responsibility very seriously.

While most books and programs dealing with child sleep issues take philosophical stands (based largely around the issue of "crying it out"), I believe that your child's sleep is more important than my personal views on this subject. That's why I've placed so much of emphasis on accomodating different parenting styles within "The Sleep Sense Program."

My approach to improving your child's sleep is pretty simple:

1. I'll give you honest information about WHY sleep is so important for your child's well-being. (This will give you all the motivation you need to make changes to your child's sleep habits.)
2. I'll lay out an easy-to-follow, step-by-step plan that lets you make some choices about what is the right approach for your child. (All children are different, and nobody knows your child better than you do. I encourage you to use your knowledge of your child to customize his or her sleep plan.)
3. Show you how to measure success. (No, you shouldn't expect your child to sleep 12 uninterrupted hours on the first night -- although it does happen! I'll tell you what you should expect along the way...)

A little note about the "crying" question: Since people always ask me about whether my program involces "crying it out," I think it's somthing that deserves to be addressed here.

Crying is your child's way of protesting change, and you can expect that making changes to their sleep habits will result in some protest. That's why I'm always sure to tell parents that my program will most likely involve at least some amount of protest on the child's part.

Please understand that I will never ask you to your child to cry alone, nor will I ask you to ignore their cries. The reason that "The Sleep Sense Program" is so effective is that is lets you develop a plan that you feel comfortable with, based on what you know about your child.

If you have any questions at all about the philosophy behind "The Sleep Sense Program," please don't hesitate to ask! I can be reached by email at dana@sleepsense.net or by telephone at (888) 843-6945.

Sleep well,

Dana Obleman