What's the key to your child getting a good night's sleep?

Posted: Wednesday, October 31, 2012 12:00 am | Updated: 2:47 am, Wed Dec 5, 2012.

(BPT) - As a parent, do you dread the evening hours because bedtime is such a struggle? Do your children do everything they can to delay turning the lights out? Do they experience fear and anxiety when you leave the room? These all-too-common scenarios play out in countless households every evening, leaving Mom and Dad wondering what they can do to help their kids get the sleep they need without a flood of tears.

Toddlers need an average of 12 to 14 hours of sleep. But, two-thirds of all children younger than 10 experience one or more sleep problems at least three nights a week, according to the National Sleep Foundation. Difficulties range from stalling or resisting going to bed to snoring and sleepwalking. Desperate parents are left frustrated as they simply want their little ones to get the sleep they need.