Sleep Support for Big Kids (6-12 Years)
When Sleep Gets Complicated
"She lies in bed for an hour, mind racing, and can't fall asleep."
"He still needs me in the room—I don't know if it's habit or something more."
"She's been calling herself a bad sleeper since second grade. She's convinced she just can't sleep."
"His ADHD symptoms are so much worse when he hasn't slept well. But the ADHD also makes it harder to sleep. We're stuck."
If any of these sound familiar, you're not alone. Sleep challenges at this age look very different from baby sleep struggles—and they require a completely different approach.
Big kids are old enough to be in their own heads about sleep. They've developed stories about themselves as sleepers, picked up anxiety around bedtime, or gotten stuck in habits that no longer serve them. And when you layer in ADHD, anxiety, or other neurodivergent profiles, sleep can feel like an impossible puzzle.
You haven't failed them. And they haven't failed either. Sleep is a skill—and skills can be rebuilt.
What You Actually Need to Know About Big Kid Sleep
Children ages 6-12 need 9-12 hours of sleep per night. When they're not getting it, everything suffers—focus, mood, behavior, learning, immune function, emotional regulation. Chronically sleep-deprived kids can look a lot like kids with attention or behavioral challenges.
Here's something important: sleep deprivation can mimic ADHD symptoms—difficulty focusing, impulsivity, hyperactivity, emotional dysregulation. And for children who do have ADHD, poor sleep significantly worsens those symptoms, which then makes sleep harder. It's a bidirectional relationship that's worth understanding.
(A note on scope: I'm a sleep educator, not a diagnostician. If you have concerns about ADHD or other conditions, your child's care team is the right resource—but sleep is always worth examining alongside any evaluation, and I'm happy to work collaboratively with your child's providers.)
One of the most significant things I see at this age is children internalizing a negative sleep identity. "I'm just a bad sleeper." "I can never fall asleep." "Sleep is hard for me." Our beliefs construct our reality—and a child who believes they can't sleep will struggle to sleep, regardless of what else we put in place.
This is why the mindset piece matters as much as the practical strategies.
How I Work With Big Kids & Their Families
Sleep coaching for this age group looks different. We're not just working with parents—we're working with the child directly. Depending on their age and personality, it sometimes makes sense for me to talk directly with your child.
Here's what we focus on together:
Untangling the anxiety-sleep spiral. We use childhood-adapted strategies from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I)—the gold standard in sleep treatment—woven into games, self-talk tools, and playful approaches that actually resonate with kids.
Rebuilding sleep confidence. If your child has decided they're a "bad sleeper," we work to gently dismantle that story and replace it with evidence that they CAN do this. Small wins build confidence. Confidence builds better sleep.
Addressing the root causes. Whether it's bedtime anxiety, fear of the dark, nightmares, a long-standing habit of needing a parent present, schedule issues, or nervous system dysregulation—we look at what's actually driving the struggle and address it directly.
Supporting neurodivergent sleepers. For children with ADHD, autism, sensory processing differences, or anxiety, we build highly customized plans that work with their nervous systems—not against them. This includes sensory-aware sleep environments, regulation strategies, and flexible approaches that honor how their brains work.
Getting the whole family on the same page. At this age, parents are still a crucial part of the picture. We work with your mindset too—on how to support your child without inadvertently reinforcing the anxiety, and how to hold boundaries with warmth.
What Families Get When Working With Me
Our sleep coaching packages come with:
A full sleep analysis to understand what's really going on (we go deep!)
Up to 5 video coaching sessions where we work through your plan together
Email support, because questions always come up
A fully customized, holistic, evidence-based sleep plan tailored to your baby's age, temperament, and your family's values
Follow-up handouts and checklists to keep you on track
Peace of mind knowing you have a clear path forward and expert support every step of the way
You Don't Have to Figure This Out Alone
Watching your child struggle with sleep—night after night, year after year—is exhausting and heartbreaking. Especially when they're old enough to feel the weight of it themselves.
Give yourself some grace. You've been doing your best with the information you had.
The good news? Sleep is remarkably responsive to the right approach. Children's brains are still developing and incredibly adaptable. With the right strategies, the right support, and a little time, things can genuinely change.
Every child deserves stellar sleep. Including yours.
Ready to talk? Schedule a free 15-minute intro call to see if we're the right fit.
Not quite ready? Download my free guide:
