A little sleep education

• Are you a parent who is waking more times than you want to during the night to put you child back to sleep?

• Is bedtime a hassle and takes longer than you think is reasonable?

• Does your child only fall asleep if you are holding, rocking or lying down with him/her?

• Do you feel exhausted more days than you want to count?

• You may benefit from a professionally trained sleep coach and The Sleep Lady Shuffle!

Let’s start with a few interesting sleep facts: 

Sleep for children strongly affects their behavior and subsequently the entire family. The recommended amount of uninterrupted hours of sleep also affects the development of the brain. It can determine if the brain releases cortisol and adrenaline, chemicals in the body which make sleep difficult and cause children to sleep less restfully and fewer hours. The saying is "Sleep begets sleep!"; the more a child sleeps the more they will sleep. 

One in four children has sleep challenges. Falling asleep and sleeping through the night are skills we can teach children. We can teach children to put themselves back to sleep by themselves if they should awaken during the night.

The fact is a good night sleep begins in the morning and is developed through the day. Children taking the naps in the recommended  "nap windows"  for the recommended length of time, are found to match the bodies circadian rhythms. This can be a strong predictor of ease in falling asleep, a restful nights sleep as well as the time children will arise.

What’s the “secret” to getting this to happen if, in fact, it is not the experience you are having? This is the place where a trained Gentle Sleep Coach can literally guide you through a sequence of consistent strategies and before you know it your child can be napping and sleeping through the night as well as you!!!

Sweet Dreamz-z-z-

About Deborah Fry

Having been a parenting coach since 1990 I have come to know you can not always get what you want from a book alone. Kim’s book Good Night Sleep Tight and accompanying workbook is the most comprehensive books on the market on children’s sleep and an important resource to have to support you to meet your goals of sleep training (www.thesleeplady.com). Often, however, a family needs more one-on-one guidance that can be obtained from a book.

I will create with you an individualized plan that takes into account you, your child and their temperament and your family values. There are unique needs for every situation. You will be given gentle and compassionate ways to teach your child to sleep through the night, fall back to sleep on their own, as well as master long naps during the day that will restore then to be able to get a long night’s sleep. You can read more about Kim West’s philosophy here.

About The Gentle Sleep Coaching Program

The Gentle Sleep Coaching Program is currently the most extensive and professional sleep certification program available. The program involves over 50 hours of training, an exam and participation in case supervision with Kim West, LCSW-C who has been helping tired parents for over 21 years. Clinical supervision and ongoing advanced training are required to maintain certification as a Gentle Sleep Coach. Some of my training topics have included:

• Basic counseling and child development

• Sleep Science and Behavioral Modification Techniques

• Secure Attachment Theory

• Supporting the Breastfeeding Mom

Lectures from top specialists in the areas of:

• Postpartum Depression from Dr Shoshana Bennett, author and leading specialist on Postpartum Depression

• Medical Conditions and Sleep Apnea in Children led by Dr Lewis Kass, Director of Children’s Sleep Center

• Sensory Processing Disorders and Sleep by Jodi Jennings, OTLR