"If you've never been hated by your child you've never been a parent" - Bette Davis

I remember when I first bought Munchy home from the hospital and the local public health nurse came to the house for a check up as they do to everyone in the community. I thought, how lovely..I really need this as I have no idea what I'm doing being a first time mom. But when she got talking...a feeling in my gut told me something wasn't right. She kept going on about feeding on demand and not feeding on a schedule. She left and I decided that she was wrong and I started feeding my baby every 3 hours. It worked a treat and she slept through the night from 6 weeks old (From 7pm- 7am). There have been a few hiccups of illness in between but otherwise she has done this until now (13.5 months). I put her down for her nap not when she was tired or grumpy. When it was TIME.  I'm gobsmacked when I hear that some kids are going to bed around 9-11pm. Seriously!! How are you sane? How do you talk properly to your partner? When do you wash half of lost lake sand out of their clothing?
I love that feeling of walking downstairs at 7.02pm (yes I put her to bed at 7 and she is asleep at 7.01 - or pretending to be?) and being able to completely chill with B. Even if he does want to watch tank battles of WW2 for the millionth time. We share wine, ice cream, massages, gripes about crappy tradesmen or awesome peaks we'd like to climb. Just chill. Children rely on us to set a schedule to give them enough sleep. You wouldn't deny your kid food. Sleep is the same and critical for growth. Parents are still giving in and find it difficult to say "NO!" I think many parents think crying means a baby is upset and needs comfort. Sometimes it's true, it could also mean "I'm bored", I want my blankie as  it fell out of the crib",  "I miss you", "this t-shirt has an itchy tag". Anyway my point is that babies need to self soothe or in other words suck it up til morning. That may seem harsh but after a few nights of no one coming in to answer their screams they figure it out and stop doing it.
Tough love I know...and not for everyone, but it works for me.