Whether you are a working mom, a stay at home mom, or a mompreneur, the key word is that you are a MOM- and your daily agenda is full. The best time to be a mompreneur is during the first two years of your child’s life because children are actually asleep more than they are awake!
What happens when that agenda is so full and you need a break when the kids are suppose to be sleeping- but your kids are still awake and needing your time and attention- but you are done for the day? You burn out- and it can take a toll on your relationship with your children, spouse, family, and friends, not to mention your business. Here are 5 things that keep children from sleeping at night so you can reevaluate sleep in your home to be the best mom and Mompreneurs you can be!
Too late of a bedtime Children need on average 10-11 hours of sleep at night for the first 9 years of their lives! If getting through the bedtime routine is a challenge that could mean your bedtime is too late. Some families may dread bedtime because it can be a battle and a power struggle instead of a loving and connected time with their child. If you are having bedtime battles, your child is letting you know that they are tired and can’t do any more.
Nap deprivation Too late of a bedtime and skipped short naps will create more night awakenings and poor quality sleep- not to mention an overtired child! It might not be logical but it’s true! Sleep begets sleep.
Your child was put down in his crib or bed already asleep. If you put your child to sleep by rocking, nursing, walking, bottle feeding or lying down with them then they become dependent on you to put them to sleep. When your child wakes during the night (we all do) they will expect the same thing from you in order to go back to sleep. Learning to put yourself to sleep is a vital life skill and one of our many parenting responsibilities.
Inconsistency is how you respond to your child during the night. If you are inconsistent in how you put your child to sleep and how you respond to them when they wake up, you may inadvertently create more crying! Consistency in sleep coaching is your key to success!
Underlying medical conditions such as: asthma, allergies, reflux and sleep apnea. If your child, snores, mouth breathes, is restless in bed, sweats, those are signs that there could be an apnea issue. If you are being consistent in your sleep coaching with your child, address the sleepless nights with your pediatrician to make sure there are no underlying medical concerns.
Sleep is a biological need and sleep deprivation causes behaviors that mimic those symptoms found in children with ADD, ADHD, Sensory Processing Disorders, Autism, Obesity, and Diabetes just to name a few. My hope for you is that you create a win, win, win situation in your home! Your child gets the quality and quantity of sleep they need, which allows you to be the best mom and mompreneur you can be, which will create academic and business success for everyone!
To everyone’s Sleep!
Irene
To learn more about sleep for young children visit www.IreneGouge.info , and for more sleep and parenting tips sign up for my newsletters and follow me on Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest!
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