Category Archives: Child Sleep

Child Sleep 3-7years

Child Sleep, Parenting

The End of Year Grump

Leave a comment

Are you a parent of a child at school or do you have a child attending childcare? Have you noticed a change in their demeanour recently?

Kids pouting in the kitchen

My daughter started Kindergarten this year. She loves school but I have noticed a change recently. Miss E has started to complain of a tummy ache in the morning. Now these tummy aches do not seem to appear on non-school days, just school days. When I try to leave her classroom, she clings onto my leg and simply will not let go until her teacher peels her off me. At drop off today, I mentioned it to a few mums and their kiddies seem to be feeling the same way. Is it simply a tummy bug doing the rounds? Perhaps.

At the primary school I teach at, I have noticed there have been increases of arguing and nastiness amongst the children. I work at a school where the children are genuinely loving and caring towards their peers, so this behaviour has really caught my attention. This got me thinking, is there such a thing as “the end of year grump?”

With the days getting warmer, children become worn out faster. Add on the ever-increasing pressure of end of year parties and gatherings; nights during the week are becoming full with social engagements and weekends are fully packed. This all adds to children becoming tired and grumpy.

The last thing to add is that these children have been spending a lot of time in situations where they have to concentrate for long periods of time, negotiate the use of shared equipment plus navigate their way through social circles. Quite frankly, they have had enough and they need a break.

So as the end of year approaches like the speed of light, take stock and be extra gentle with your precious ones. If they need a day at home in front of the telly, then go with it. If they need a mummy day, offer it. If they require a swim at the beach, enjoy!!

You may be experiencing “the end of year grump” too. Take my advice and indulge in a “me day”. Go on, you deserve it!

 

Sleep Well, Janelle Jeffery

Child Sleep Consultant for Sleepytime

Baby Sleep, Child Sleep, Sleep Products, Toddler Sleep

5 Hot Tips to Summer Sleep Success

Leave a comment

Summer is fast approaching so before we know it we will have our aircons on full blast and sweat dripping down our faces, legs other??? Ewww. Summer also means a very full social calendar and longer days filled with endless daylight. Have you already noticed a change in your child’s sleep? I sure have!

So this got my brain ticking and my fingers typing. Here are my 5 hot tips for summer sleep success.

DSC00548

#1 Consistent and Predictable Routines and Schedules

It is so important that you approach bedtime they same as you would any other time of year. If bedtime is 700pm, stick to that time. (Note – if you have daylight savings, then move to the new time as quickly as you can then stick with that schedule.) With social events filling the diary, it can be tempting to stretch out bedtime or forgo daytime naps. Once and a while this is okay, but the less sleep your child has, the more difficult sleep will become overtime.

 

#2 Dark, dark, dark

Whether you have daylight savings or not, at the end of the day we are all trying to get our children to sleep when there is daylight. Make sure your child’s room is super dark. Darkness helps to trigger the pineal gland to release melatonin into the body. Melatonin makes us sleepy. If you do not already have block-out curtains, purchase a blackout blind like the “Gro Anywhere Blind”. These are removable and can be taken with you wherever you go.

 

#3 Drink lots of water

When our bodies are dehydrated, it can interfere with sleep. If you are flying, drinking lots of water reduces the effects of jet-lag. Adults should reduce alcohol consumption and children should avoid sugary drinks.

 

#4 Keep an eye on the temperature

Before bed, make sure your child is engaged in quiet activities. If your child is running around, their temperature will increase making it harder to fall asleep. It is just like exercising before bed.

As the temperature during the night dips, if you run a fan or air-conditioner in your child’s room, they may wake from feeling cold. Set a timer if you can and stop it before midnight.

 

#5 Do not engage in the battle of the wills

Older children will question “Why do I have to go to bed, the sun is still up?” Yep it sure is. Sticking to your guns and not engaging in an argument is important. Referring back to Tip #1 and Tip#2, if you are 100% consistent with your routines and schedules, and you darken the room as much as possible, this will help your child to fall asleep.

School age children may go to bed a little later over the summer holidays but 2 weeks before school returns, begin to transition them back to their usual bedtime.

 

So enjoy these summer months. I love this time of year as it is all about spending time with love ones, being outdoors and BBQs!! Yummy!! How about you?

 

Sleep well,

Janelle Jeffery

Child Sleep Consultant for Sleepytime

About Janelle, Child Sleep, Toddler Sleep

No nap- No Way!

Leave a comment

nonapSince my daughter turned three, everyone was telling me to drop that nap! My daughter was always late to drop all her previous naps, so I wanted her to keep it for two main reasons:

1- I wanted her to be ready
2- I wasn’t ready

When she hit 3.5yrs the first point came true- she was showing signs of dropping the nap. Miss E would either fight going down at all, or she would sleep for three hours or more. The long nap seemed like a gift- but what it would mean was that she took forever to fall asleep at night. Some nights it took over an hour for her to finally fall asleep and that was with numerous visits to her bedroom begging her to ‘settle down’ or sternly stating, “it’s sleepytime” over the monitor.

BUT- I wasn’t ready. How would I get all my jobs done during the day without it? Where would I squeeze in “my time” during the day? No nap- no way!

A close friend gave me a reason that finally encouraged me to give it up. She said, “Think about all the things you WILL be able to do during the day. Not having to fly home in the middle of the day for her nap is a bonus.” Ok I may be losing out in some areas, but having the freedom to go out and stay out sounded wonderful. I was ready to give it a go.

Whenever you change a child’s sleep situation, you need to be patient to allow for the body to adjust. For quite a few weeks, Miss E would be really tired during the day and she would even fall asleep in the car. I decided that on some days I would pop on a movie after lunch and let her snuggle her cuddly toy. This allowed me to have some time to myself and it gave her quiet time without the sleep. This really worked well for us.

Ok- occasionally I do offer that midday nap. I am very concerned about Miss E becoming ‘overtired’ so if I really feel that she is just not going to make it until bedtime without a meltdown – I limit the nap to 1 hour and I put her to bed later in the evening.

Since accepting that Miss E was getting older and saying ‘farewell’ to the nap, night times have improved ten fold.

Even though friends and my own expertise were telling me to do something, until I was ready to make that change, I felt it just wasn’t going to work.

Are you ready to drop that nap? To purchase a comprehensive guide to nap transitions, click here.

Sleep well,

Janelle Jeffery

Child Behaviour, Child Sleep, Sleep Training Methods, Toddler Sleep

Does your child have ‘Jack-in-the-box’ syndrome?

Leave a comment

jackintheboxWhat did you say? I said ‘Jack-in-the-box syndrome! This is a child who just loves getting out of bed to see where you are and what you are up too- all hours of the night!!! You walk them back to their bed, and before you know it they are hot on your heels.

This can be frustrating and exhausting for parents who eventually ‘give in’ and let their child either sleep on the couch or hop into their bed, just so the family can get a little sleep. This problem is very common and it usually starts around 2-3 years of age. I speak with many families whereby the dad has been banished from the bed altogether. This sleeping arrangement is not sustainable, nor is it healthy for your relationship with your partner. Your bed is YOUR bed and that is the way it needs to be so you can all get a good night’s sleep.

So, what can you do to solve this problem?

Wait to Transition into a Bed

I would not transition a toddler into a ‘big bed’ until at least 2.5 years of age. The later, the better! Many parents transition their child far too early, trying to fix an existing bad sleep situation only to find it’s worse now they have the freedom to get out on their own.

Communication

Even if your child is not completely verbal, their understanding is amazing. During the day set the expectations for the night in simple ‘kid-friendly’ language. Tell them they will stay in bed the entire night until it’s morning time (at least 6am). I like using a visual timetable that outlines each step of the bedtime routine with the last picture showing them in their bed. Get creative! Bedtime is non-negotiable from here on in.

Rewards

Children are egocentric. If there is something in if for them, they will want to do it. Get a reward chart ready to go and make a big deal about it. Get a ‘treat bag’ and fill it with little surprises. These do not need to be expensive. Items such as books, hair clips, cars and play-dough work well. Each night they remain in their bed, they will earn a sticker on their chart as well as a treat from the bag. Work towards a surprise at the end, like an outing or a special toy.

Consistency

Children test boundaries. They need to know that the rules are the rules no matter what. Rules enable them feel safe and secure in their environment. Children will try and try again to work around the rules BUT really they want you to say ‘NO’. Once you ‘give in’ you will create a bigger problem. Children quickly learn that you mean what you say only some of the time. You need to be strong and firm and have routines in place. If you are consistent all of the time, then the transition will be a lot easier. Change is hard for everybody and it will be met with some protest from your child. Remember you are doing what is best for them AND for your entire family.

Fun

Make bedtime fun. You don’t want your little one dreading bedtime because it’s when they are banished to their room, alone, missing out on the fun elsewhere. Sing songs, read a book together, talk about the day. Purchase some special pyjamas and let them choose which ones to wear.

All children at some stage will want to get out of bed and hop into yours. Armed with this knowledge, the key to success is to be prepared for it. Each night needs to be predictable and you need to be consistent. I have provided some simple tips that can certainly improve the sleep situation overall. The good news is that it is achievable but toddlers/children can be tricky customers. If you find that it is all too difficult, remember I can help you to solve this once and for all with a tailored plan and support program. Contact me here for more information.

Sleep Well,

Janelle Jeffery