Your Child’s Growing Brain: Keeping It Happy, Healthy and Moving Forward!
A guest article about your child’s growing brain by Frank J. Kros, MSW, JD, President of The Upside Down Organization I have taken several workshops with Frank Kros from the Upside Down Organization. They are great!!! Just had to share this article with you all! The article is written for teachers but the advice applies […]
Toddler Sleep Help: My 1 and 3 Year Old Share a Room and Neither One of Them Sleep!
This week’s “Ask the Sleep Lady” Toddler Sleep Help question: “I need toddler sleep help! I have huge problems when it comes to putting my boys to bed. I have a three year old and a one year old. My three year old Parker gives me trouble every night. Sometimes I can’t get him to […]
The Sleep Lady’s Philosophy
As a clinical social worker in private practice for 18 years I have been counseling families on a wide variety of parenting issues from dealing with tantrums, discipline, bottle weaning to of course, sleep. Over the last 14 years families have sought me out to help them with their child’s sleep. My clinical background in […]
Baby Sleep Tips: Your Baby Needs a Soothing Bedtime Routine
Baby Sleep Tips: Sleep Secret #13: Your baby needs a soothing bedtime routine. A soothing bedtime routine will tell her that its time to slow down (this baby sleep tip is actually not a huge secret, but more common sense). The ideal pre-sleep ritual for a baby lasts no more than 20 to 30 mins–otherwise […]
Consistency is Your Key to Baby and Toddler Sleep Coaching Success!
We all know it is important to be consistent in parenting but it’s hard to be 100% consistent- especially in the middle of the night when we are tired and not thinking clearly (and you’re in the middle of sleep coaching). Parents need to begin by talking about their goals, making sure they agree on […]
Baby Sleep Tips: Oh, the many ways babies soothe themselves to sleep!
Baby Sleep Tips: Excerpt from “52 Sleep Secrets for Babies” Secret #3 – Babies do all sorts of things to soothe themselves to sleep Some typical baby sleep rituals: -Sucking thumbs, fingers, a pacifier, or a lovey. -Twirling the tags or ears of stuffed toys. -Twirling their own hair; playing with their ears (not just a […]
Toddler Sleep Problem: Summer Sleep Routine Busters
No matter how hard you try to keep your child on a predictable and comforting sleep routine, disruptions are inevitable, and so are some toddler sleep problems. Some routine-busters, like a vacation or a weekend at the grandparents, are planned and welcome. Others, like illnesses, strike without warning and can turn a child’s sleep upside […]
Baby Sleep Tip: What is the Best Baby Sleep Advice?
Check out the baby sleep article below printed in the UK’s paper the Telegraph on April 22, 2010. Make sure that you read the very last sentence. I will comment further there. What is the Best Baby Sleep Advice? In Penelope Leach, elder stateswoman of childcare gurus, say so. In a new book she argues that […]
Is My Child Ready? – Toilet Training Tips for Stress-Free Potty Training
Many parents are wary in the months leading up to potty training, as it seems this milestone can be rife with stress, power struggles, and messy problems. While it is certainly a stressful time for parents, it also is for the child being trained! Defusing that stress is what Stress-Free Potty Training, A Commonsense Guide […]
“When Should I Stop Swaddling My Baby” – Weaning Your Baby Out of His Swaddle
Many parents of newborns worry that they will have to actively “wean” their baby from swaddling. Luckily, babies often send clear signals that they don’t like being swaddled anymore as they get more mobile. On average, babies are ready to be weaned off swaddling between 3 and 4 months of age. However, many babies continue […]
“Baby Stop Crying!” – Learning the Secret Language of Babies
Excerpt from the Updated and Expanded version of “Good Night, Sleep Tight” The Secret Language of Babies Babies have a lot of different cries. I have been fascinated by Priscilla Dunstan’s work on baby sounds, and many families have found it very helpful in understanding their babies’ preverbal communication. Understanding what our little babies are […]
Nightmares or Night Terrors – Toddlers’ Sleep May Need Monitoring
Nightmares and night terrors are confusing in both cause and treatment. Knowing the difference between the two is the key to determine the best way to handle each episode. Nightmares occur during REM sleep, which happens near the end of our sleep period. When children have a nightmare, they will seek comfort from their disturbing […]
Baby Sleep: A Drowsy Baby is a Baby Ready For Bed
People always ask how they can help their baby sleep. Often in my book, “Good Night, Sleep Tight”, I will instruct you to put your baby down to sleep when she is “drowsy but awake” so she can learn to do that last part of falling asleep on her own. If you have trouble visualizing […]
One Nap Or Two? How Often Should my Toddler or Baby Nap
Consolidating from two naps to one is a major physical and psychological transition, with almost all children passing through the “one nap is too little, two naps is too much” phase. All we can do is try to make the transition as smooth as possible, although even in the best case scenario, your child may […]
Baby Colds: How The Sniffles Can Mess Up Your Baby’s Sleep Patterns
Baby Colds: How The Sniffles Can Mess Up Your Baby’s Sleep Patterns Guest Post by Lewis J. Kass, MD For those of us who were forced to take physics in high school or college, you may recall a physical property related to the flow of air through a tube. That property stated that as a […]