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Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Why you can't afford not too sleep


Recently I was asked: What's your response when someone says they (think they) can't afford sleep consulting?

That's a great question and probably a popular one, however one that people don't always ask- and choose to suffer through the consequences without knowing all of their options.

If sleep is an issue in your home, you can't afford another day and night dealing or waiting to see if your child will outgrow it.

Some of the consequences as a result of not sleeping especially during the first 5 years of life are:
  • disrupting the natural and necessary neurological connections for your child's development providing the foundation for all future cognitive, sensory-motor, and social emotional development
  •  behavioral concerns
  •  creating a sleep debt for your child which could result in symptoms that look like ADD/ADHD- but really are sleep deprivation
  •  insomnia
  •  obesity
  • depression

This is just naming a few of the big ones that research continues to share with us when we don’t take action for our health. 

 It may not seem like a big deal, your child may have muddled through sleepless nights and you did too, but my concern is later- when your child is school aged and has a foundation of bad sleep habits.  Will their academics suffer? Will they have a hard time staying focused?  I also have a concern for parents who decide to wait- they’ll grow out of it, but are they building that quality and connected relationship with their child?

Most people might not realize that when you work with me as your sleep coach, I am working myself out of a job- since I equip parents with the tools and strategies to be successful in their journey- even with the most difficult child, whom really isn’t difficult- just tired!

Through the sleep coaching process parents have these tools for their parenting journey to keep using them. Teaching your child how to sleep with love, understanding, and compassion, changing your parenting to be intentional, positive, and centered is a legacy you leave for your family. That's priceless!