Banish Bedtime Battles - by Ellen Flannery-Schroeder & Chelsea Tucker (Hardcover)

About the Book

Book Synopsis

It's 10pm, the golden hour. You're tired after a long day. The dishes are done, homework finished, and the kids are finally asleep. But no sooner is your head on your pillow before you hear them coming...those feet down the hallway. They're coming for you, coming for your rest, coming for your sanity, coming for your bed! You are losing sleep and patience, but the real concern is the effect on your child. Parents know that sleep is vital but often don't know how to help their child become an independent sleeper without the bedtime battles.

Banish Bedtime Battles presents an easy method to get your school-aged child to sleep in their own bed throughout the night. With expert guidance, you'll help your child develop critical coping skills essential to increasing their confidence and competence at bedtime (and beyond!). Armed with powerful parenting strategies presented in the book, you'll be ready to use your personalized six-week plan to solve your child's nighttime struggles. You'll master specific skills to refine and maintain the new bedtime routine, with plenty of troubleshooting tips. Finally, you can enjoy some well-deserved peace, quiet, and sleep!

Review Quotes

"Banish Bedtime Battles is the ultimate resource for parents struggling with the challenge of getting kids to sleep alone. Flannery-Schroeder and Tucker have put together a treasure trove of tools and information that will make for more restful nights for countless children...and their parents!" --Eli Lebowitz, PhD, Yale Child Study Center, author of Breaking Free of Child Anxiety and OCD

"A must-read for all parents facing bedtime struggles with their children. Drs. Flannery-Schoeder and Tucker help parents understand their role in their child's sleep struggles and empower them to shift their approach to bedtime. They offer a range of science-backed tools and strategies that are practical and effective. Beautifully written and relatable, this easy-to-follow guide will quickly become one of my most recommended books." --Elizabeth Reichert, PhD, Clinical Director of Child Outpatient Services, Co-Director, Stanford Parenting Center, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Stanford University School of Medicine

"The book parents have been waiting for! This user-friendly, science-backed, and practical guide to banish bedtime battles will also improve parenting, build child coping skills, and enhance parent-child connections. It's a win-win-win-win!" --Michele Borba, Ed.D., educational psychologist, and author of Thrivers: The Surprising Reasons Why Some Kids Struggle and Others Shine

"In Banish Bedtime Battles, Drs. Flannery-Schroeder and Tucker present a thoughtful and concise step-by-step approach to help parents and families navigate common bedtime challenges. Parents learn to implement evidence-based strategies through a structured approach accompanied by relatable case examples. It takes a positive strengths-based approach to skill building rather than distressing "cry it out" methods. It's a must read book for parents who are struggling to have their child become an independent sleeper!" --Joseph McGuire, Associate Professor, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine

"Drs. Flannery-Schroeder and Tucker have provided a valuable, science-based guide for families on an important topic: childhood bedtime challenges. The book outlines a balanced, practical approach that emphasizes the child's autonomy and needs alongside the needs and strengths of the caregiver(s). The volume contains important information on the health benefits of sleep. Each step in the program is well-described, with trouble-shooting tips." --Michael Southam-Gerow, PhD, Professor of Psychology, Virginia Commonwealth University

"Flannery-Schroeder and Tucker's well-informed and clearly written Banish Bedtime Battles provides an effective approach to help your school-aged child achieve independent sleep. Yes, sleep itself is good, but improved sleep comes with numerous added benefits for you and for your child. Importantly, the author's 6-week plan does not include punishment (it doesn't work) but does provide (a) the details for the specific methods to employ, (b) easy-to-relate-to illustrative case examples, and (c) a flexible style that allows for personalization--all of which will get you to the goal. Not a magic pill, or an overclaimed sudden success, this well-researched approach fully merits sticking with it to enjoy the added rest, increased independence of your developing child, and a less stressful bedtime." --Philip C. Kendall, PhD, ABPP, Distinguished University Professor and Director of the Child and Adolescent Anxiety Disorders Clinic, Temple University

"In Banish Bedtime Battles, Drs. Flannery-Schroeder and Tucker have created a comprehensive, research-based resource for parents to address a range of sleep challenges and help kids become independent sleepers. Most importantly, it is an easy-to-read, compassionate guide that offers effective and practical skills. Highly recommend!" --Sandra S. Pimental, PhD, Chief, Child and Adolescent Psychology, Montefiore Medical Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine

About the Author

Ellen Flannery-Schroeder, PhD, ABPP, is a licensed psychologist who specializes in anxiety disorders in children and prevention programs for children at risk for anxiety, parent training, and the role of family factors in anxiety disorders. Ellen works as Professor of Psychology and Director of the Clinical Psychology Program at the University of Rhode Island. She has been involved in the prevention and treatment of anxiety disorders for more than 30 years and has written numerous articles and book chapters on the topic. Ellen directs the Child Anxiety Program in the Psychological Consultation Center at the University of Rhode Island, co-directs the New England Center for Anxiety, co-directs High Performance Parenting, and helped to found The Greatest 8TM, an initiative designed to promote mental health and wellness among children aged 0-8.

Chelsea Tucker, PhD, is a licensed psychologist with 10 years of experience treating children and families seeking behavior change. She specializes in the cognitive-behavioral treatment of anxiety and anxiety-related issues in children, adolescents, and adults, with a focus on the role of family factors in the onset and maintenance of anxiety. Chelsea currently practices at the New England Center for Anxiety. Chelsea has provided clinical services across a variety of settings (school, hospital, and outpatient) addressing problems with anxiety, social-emotional functioning, and behavior. She is founder and co-director of High Performance Parenting.