My DW provided child care for a neighbor's kid whose sleep needs were similar to what aquinas describes. The child's needs kept escalating over time, though, until putting the child to sleep became a living nightmare for any parent or caregiver involved. DW got to choose between a screaming 3yo or extreme back pain (snuggling wasn't an option at this point, he had to be carried/held/bounced), and usually she was rewarded with both. DW had to stop babysitting him because the child was literally killing her.
YMMV, but there's a cautionary tale there for allowing childhood insecurities to break down normal boundaries.
