--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The point of making children sleep alone…" description: "\"“The point of making children sleep alone, according to Western psychologists, is to make them “self-soothing,” but that clearly runs contrary to our e..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/356/sebastian-junger-4689_children_the-point-of-making-children-sleep-alone_1171506.png" --- # The point of making children sleep alone, according to… ![“The point of making children sleep alone, according to Western psychologists, is to make them “self-soothing,” but that clearly runs contrary to our evolution. Humans are primates—we share 98 percent of our DNA with chimpanzees—and primates almost never leave infants unattended, because they would…” quote by Sebastian Junger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/356/sebastian-junger-4689_children_the-point-of-making-children-sleep-alone_1171506.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/356/sebastian-junger-4689_children_the-point-of-making-children-sleep-alone_1171506.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/356/sebastian-junger-4689_children_the-point-of-making-children-sleep-alone_1171506.png) > ““The point of making children sleep alone, according to Western psychologists, is to make them “self-soothing,” but that clearly runs contrary to our evolution. Humans are primates—we share 98 percent of our DNA with chimpanzees—and primates almost never leave infants unattended, because they would be extremely vulnerable to predators. Infants seem to know this instinctively, so being left alone in a dark room is terrifying to them.”” [Sebastian Junger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sebastian-junger/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Leaving infants alone conflicts with evolutionary instincts for safety. **In simple terms:** Alone infants feel unsafe. Key Takeaway Respect natural caregiving instincts. Themes parenting evolution psychology Mood concerned thoughtful Type analytical informative When to use this quote - nursery design - parental guidance - early childhood care Key Concepts attachment theory child safety Questions to Reflect On - How can societies balance independence and security? - What alternatives support infant soothing? A Different Perspective Cultural norms may prioritize independence over safety. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Children Sleep](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children-sleep-627077/) [Chimpanzees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chimpanzees/) [Dark room](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dark-room/) [Infants Know](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/infants-know-3398265/) [Infants Unattended](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/infants-unattended-1355454/) [Left alone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/left-alone/) [Predators Infants](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/predators-infants-1355456/) [Sleep Alone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sleep-alone/) ## Related quotes > [“The point of making children sleep alone, according to Western psychologists, is to make them “self-soothing,” but that clearly runs contrary to our evolution.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sebastian-junger/the-point-of-making-children-sleep-alone-according-to-western-2/) [Sebastian Junger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sebastian-junger/) > [“The alienating effects of wealth and modernity on the human experience start virtually at birth and never let up. 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