anon1m0us is describing the Ferber method. If the baby’s issue is that he is accustomed to one way of going to sleep and needs to be retrained, and the parents feel they want to convey their compassion to the child, this method usually works. Can you explain to the neighbors that you are trying to train him to sleep and maybe a fan or noise machine can get them through the next 2 weeks? It shouldn’t take longer than that.
