Exhausted parents send apologetic note to neighbors ahead of sleep training for their baby

‘Keep us in your prayers and turn the TV volume up’: Exhausted parents send apologetic note to neighbors ahead of sleep training their baby

  • Kitty Bee Jr, from North Carolina, received note from neighbors at her apartment
  • Letter explained they were going to introduce controversial Cry-It-Out method
  • The post has since been met with a wave of support by social media users

An exhausted couple sent an apologetic note to their neighbors ahead of sleep training for their baby.

Kitty Bee Jr, from Charlotte, North Carolina, received the note from the new parents, known as The Wards, at her apartment last week.

The letter explained that neighbors may hear more crying than usual in the next few days while they introduced the controversial Cry-It-Out method which is supposed to help babies ‘self-soothe’.

Kitty, who works as a baker, shared the letter on Twitter alongside a caption that read: ‘Neighbors left this on the door… I’m gonna bake them some cookies’.  

And the post has since been met with a wave of support by social media users.

Kitty Bee Jr, from North Carolina, shared a note that she received from her neighbors, apologizing for their decision to try sleep training their baby with the Cry-It-Out method

Kitty Bee Jr, from North Carolina, shared a note that she received from her neighbors, apologizing for their decision to try sleep training their baby with the Cry-It-Out method

Kitty shared a photo of the letter which read: ‘Apartment 207 here. I regret to inform you we have begun sleep training our son. 

‘After many sleepless nights thanks to the dreaded 4-month sleep regression we have decided it is time to start the Cry-It-Out method. 

Kitty (pictured), who works as a baker, shared the letter on Twitter

Kitty (pictured), who works as a baker, shared the letter on Twitter

‘If you hear the cries please pray for me and know I am also crying and going insane.

‘I’m very sorry for any inconvenience this may cause you, let’s hope that it doesn’t last long. 

‘I am starting today and going to try for a strong 3-4 days, if he doesn’t get with the program I will give it a week or 2 break and try again. 

‘Please know I am not neglecting him but I will let him try to self-soothe for 35-60 minutes at a time during this period I will be in the room every 5-10 minutes to assure him he is not alone and is okay.

‘If you start to feel hatred towards us just give a friendly knock on the door and I will bring you a shot of tequila to mend our neighbor-ship. 

‘It’s cheap tequila but it will calm your nerves. Its been tested and proven to work by yours truly. 

‘Any-how keep us in your prayers and turn the TV volume up.  If you need milk, sugar or eggs we have some. And tequila too just swing by.’

The Wards then signed off as ‘your tired and sorry neighbors’.

Kitty’s post has since been liked more than one million times as commenters heaped the gesture with praise. 

The post has since been met with a wave of support by social media users (above) for the new parents

The post has since been met with a wave of support by social media users (above) for the new parents

One wrote: ‘That’s really sweet of those neighbors. I wish them luck in their “sleep training”. It nice as a neighbor, to get a heads up, to apply noise cancelling headphones or whatever. 

‘I know they’re not obligated to reach out to neighbors in this way, but it sure helps with the sense of community, and invites much more support, which they could use right now. I’d be inclined to take them some treats as well.

Another added: ‘I have nothing but respect for them!’

And a third commented: ‘Stop they’re adorable. Great neighbors.’

Kitty has since made the couple chocolate chip, peppermint shortbread, and brownie cookies as well as gifting them a bottle of wine and baby wash

Kitty has since made the couple chocolate chip, peppermint shortbread, and brownie cookies as well as gifting them a bottle of wine and baby wash

Kitty has since told FEMAIL: ‘I thought it was just another letter from our leasing office to remind us about changing the air filter but it wasn’t. 

‘It was the cutest most considerate thing. The tequila peace offering really made me chuckle. The Wards are doing great! We’re all shocked this went viral!’ 

She made the couple chocolate chip, peppermint shortbread, and brownie cookies as well as gifting them a bottle of wine and baby wash.

What is the Cry-It-Out method? 

The Cry-It-Out method refers to any sleep training approach – and there are many – that says it is okay to let a baby cry for a specified period of time (often a very short period) before offering comfort. 

Children who were allowed to cry it out in their first six months were no more clingy or likely to have behavioural problems at the age of 18 months, despite previous suggestions that it could affect their development.

Researchers at the University of Warwick tracked 178 babies and their mothers over the children’s first year and a half.

Children who were allowed to cry it out in their first six months were no more clingy or likely to have behavioural problems at the age of 18 months (stock image)

Children who were allowed to cry it out in their first six months were no more clingy or likely to have behavioural problems at the age of 18 months (stock image)

They found that babies cried and fussed a little less often at three months old if they had been left to ‘cry it out’ a few times after being born.

If these babies were also often encouraged to self-soothe at three months old, they spent slightly less time fussing and crying at 18 months.

Experts say that letting babies cry it out a few times may be about setting boundaries, encouraging them to self-soothe, and not neglecting them as some anxious parents fear.     

source: dailymail.co.uk