Last weekend my kids had a sleepover at my sister Melissa’s house. Apparently when they were going to sleep, Nora asked if she could sleep in Melissa’s bed with her.
The move from crib to bed - it’s something every parent fears. Will it disrupt the sleep pattern? Will I end up with a child in my bed every night? Is my baby growing up too fast? The questions go on and on.
It’s natural to worry about a big step like this, but you have to be strong and follow the ABCs of sleep training: be Assertive, Believe in yourself and your child that you can do this, and Commit to the transition.
What happens when the TV shows you grew up on are deemed by experts as unsafe?
What do you do when your little one has scary dreams? There are two issues to examine when trying to help a child who's suffering from nightmares:
What to do during the nightmare, or just after the child awakens from one
What to do in the child's daily life, before and after sleeptime, to help keep the bad dreams away.
Another way to say this is: there's crisis management and then there's crisis prevention. First, let's talk about how to manage a child's nightmare in the moment.
1. First, what NOT to do.
I’m almost embarrassed to write this blog, but you know me…always pointing out my own flaws.
I’m always wondering why I torture myself with having a baby monitor for the twins. I've come close to ditching it many times.
"A good laugh and a long sleep are the best cures in the doctor's book." - Irish Proverb
Update on my not-so-successful sleep training efforts….
After another night of drama and vomiting, I resumed my position and went back in tonight for story time, a pep talk, reassurance and bribery. I feel a bit like a confidence cheerleader, but seriously it’s been two weeks and I am trying anything and everything.
Rain’s closing tearful plea tonight - “Mommy why are you doing this to us?!?”
It’s 11:40 at night, David Letterman is on the tube and I am afraid to go to bed. I just finished a date night, got my fill of romance and I should be fast asleep, but instead I am awaiting the sound of footsteps to come stomping down the hallway. I’m ashamed to admit that we are back in the full swing of trying to sleep train our children.
Julie Cole is the co-founding VP of Mabel’s Labels, the leading provider of labels for the stuff kids lose!
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