Lead
When the thought "I'd like them to sleep on their own" first surfaces, it usually arrives alongside: but is that cruel? And close behind: is there a point at which co-sleeping is too long? These are actually two separate questions, though they tend to get tangled together in ways that make the decision harder than it needs to be. Co-sleeping is not harmful. But the transition to independent sleep has a real methodology, and which approach works best depends on the family's values and the child's temperament.