My wife and I have used various reward systems throughout the years with varying degrees of success. Starting when our kids were fairly young, we used it as a mechanism to encourage them to earn the rewards that they get in life.

Now that they're a little older (3rd and 5th grade), we've stepped up the concept with a full-blown chore chart and weekly allowance.

I have been completely blown away by how motivated they've been and how well it has worked, and I wanted to share our experiences.

Working through sleep issues with our kids feels like something that has been a lifelong battle. It starts immediately after birth and, for us, has continued up through ages eight and ten for our boys.

Addressing sleep issues as a family has taught me the importance of patience, consistency and communication and I hope that you can benefit from the struggles I have gone through on the topic.