Sleepless in America: Is Your Child Misbehaving...or Missing Sleep? – A Research-Based Parenting Guide to Temperament, Stress, and Behavioral Challenges

From the author of Raising Your Spirited Child, the award-winning bestseller that has helped millions, a pioneering, research-based guide for parents to help their children get the sleep they need.

Does your child refuse to cooperate in the morning? Does he or she get into trouble for not listening? Are you finding that your child resists sleep and "loses it" over seemingly insignificant issues?

You are not alone. An estimated 69 percent of American infants, children, and teens are sleep deprived. Studies have shown that sleep deficits can contribute to hyperactivity, distraction, forgetfulness, learning problems, illness, accidents, and disruptive behaviors. Often what our misbehaving kids really need isn't more "consequences" or more medication, but more sleep.

Sleepless in America offers weary and frustrated parents a helping hand and an exciting new approach to managing challenging behaviors by integrating research on stress, sleep, and temperament with practical strategies. Dr. Mary has helped millions with her effective parenting tips and insights, and her five-step approach enables parents to help their "tired and wired" children get the sleep they so desperately need.

Based on decades of experience and the latest research, this essential parenting resource shows you how to end the power struggles and restore peace to your home with a five-step plan that works:

• Understand Your Child’s Temperament: Discover how your child’s unique genetic "wiring" for intensity, sensitivity, and adaptability affects their sleep and what you can do about it.
• Establish a Reliable Sleep Schedule: Learn why a good night’s sleep begins in the morning and how to set your child’s internal body clock for easy bedtimes and peaceful nights.
• End Night Waking: Implement gentle, effective strategies to quiet the screams, soothe night terrors, and help your child learn to stay asleep all night long.
• Decode Misbehavior: Learn to recognize the surprising signs of sleep deprivation―from hyperactivity to morning wars―and respond with solutions that address the root cause, not just the symptoms.
• Customized Sleep Solutions: Get practical advice for every age and stage, from overcoming infant sleep problems to managing naps and eliminating late-afternoon meltdowns for toddlers and school-age children.

Dr. Mary Sheedy Kurcinka, EdD, is a bestselling author and internationally recognized lecturer and parent educator. Her books Raising Your Spirited Child; Raising Your Spirited Baby; Raising Your Spirited Child Workbook; Kids, Parents and Power Struggles; and Sleepless in America have been translated into more than twenty languages. A former director of one of Minnesota’s largest Early Childhood Family Education programs, Mary is the founder of the Spirited Child and Kids, Parents, and Power Struggles workshops. She resides in Bozeman, Montana, with her husband.