‘My child resists bedtime and gets up multiple times in the night complaining that he can’t sleep. Please help!’

If your child is resisting bedtime, coming out of their room multiple times and pleading that they can’t fall asleep, you’re far from alone. I had at least one parent ask me what to do with their eight-year-old son who was in exactly this situation. Struggling to settle at bedtime is such a common complaint, and it’s one rooted in a mixture of development, emotion and the shifting rhythms of family life.

At eight years old, children are at a crossroads. They are growing up fast, seeking more independence and showing flashes of mature reasoning..