Q “My three-year-old still comes into our bed in the night and we’re usually too tired to return him to his. He also can’t get off to sleep in his ‘big boy bed’ without mummy being there too. How do we break this cycle, so he can go to sleep on his own and stay in bed all night?”

A Kathryn Mewes, author of The Three Day Nanny, says: “All children tend to sleep solidly for four hours when they are first put to bed. After this they wake every 90 minutes, coming into a light sleep or actually waking.

“The way in which you put your child to bed is what they will expect when they wake in the night. This is why your child comes to find you in the night, because he believes he needs you with him in order to fall to sleep. This isn’t easy to break, but it can be achieved over three nights if you are consistent and focused.

“Simply create a calm and relaxing bedtime routine and aim to be leaving the bedroom by 6.45/7pm. Aim to read two stories lasting no longer than 15 minutes.

“When you say goodnight and leave the room, the shouting will begin. As they leave the room you simply remain calm and turn your child’s body to face their room and guide them back to bed. Do not speak to them.

“You will continue to return them to bed, this could take up to 90 minutes, but only if you remain silent. It could take longer if you speak. You then need to repeat this process when they wake in the night.

“If you can be consistent and return them to their bed for three consecutive nights, you should be well on the way to the entire family sleeping solidly.”