Healthy Little Note: Issue #44
Hey there!
Hope you all had a nice weekend! I am preparing for my kids to get back to school next week! I can't believe I'm going to have a Kindergartner and a 2nd grader!
With one week left of summer break, these more casual summer schedules need to get back on track this week, so my kiddos don't start off the school year overtired! More importantly... so our mornings to get out of the house aren't crazy too!
Some of you might be thinking that some sleep training may be a good idea with school starting - after all better sleep means a more present and focused child in school! So in this week's newsletter I have a special article from NPR on sleep training and the myths associated with it, a great podcast on raising screen smart kids, and how our ability to stay calm in a heated situation with our kids can actually help them come back to ground zero.
So on that note, let's do this...
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1. SLEEP TRAINING - WHAT DOES SCIENCE SAY?
Some families swear by it and find that it's the only way they get their baby to sleep while others say crying is harmful and won't go near it. I get it, hearing your baby cry is not easy. We are designed to take care of our little ones and now I'm supposed to listen to them cry? So what's a parent to believe with all the contradicting opinions?
This NPR article gets to the bottom of this question by looking at the science and helping separate fact from fiction. From crying it out, to gentle methods, to expectations about the "magic bullet" and never needing to return to sleep training, this article has your answers.
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2. RAISING A SCREEN SMART KID...
When to get a phone, when to get an instagram account... The reality is that you know what's best is for your little one. And more importantly what works for one kid may not work for another kid, even within the same family.
Check out this great podcast and what the speaker says about when's the best time to get your kid a phone, modeling good tech behavior, identifying digital addiction, and more. They even share some great strategies on getting on the same page with your kid you won't want to miss!
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3. MORE REASONS TO GET YOUR ZEN ON...
Have you ever reacted to your kids in a way you weren't so proud of and thought, "I'm going to do things differently". So, you make a conscious effort to respond in a more calm and constructive way that makes a world of difference in how your little one responds too... I know I have.
This is call co-regulation - the ability to change one's emotional state in response to another person's behavior. This great Medium article lays out why calmness can be contagious. That deep breathe goes such a long way for you and your little one!
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4. WHERE TO FIND ME NEXT...
On the first of every month, members in my the Healthy Little Village private community can find me live on our group chat... whether to answer your burning questions, find out what's new, hear what I'm talking about, or just say hi! Join now if you don't want to miss this month (hint - it's happening now... Monday 8/5 10:30am PST).
Then at the end of the month, on Aug 30th, you can find me at Beverly Hills Pediatrics for a talk on Newborn Sleep or Younger Baby/Toddler Sleep. Make sure you sign up here!
Can't make these talks and wish you could? Get on the list for the next live sleep talk with me, you and your computer/phone! Just say "yes please"... and I'll keep you posted!
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AND If you have some questions of your own... I've got ya - go here to schedule a FREE 15-minute call with me, and we can chat about it!
OR as always, just reply to this email with any questions you have, and I'll be happy to answer.
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Well, that's it for this issue!
Hope you enjoyed it and I'd LOVE if you shared it with your friends on social media or spread the word on the local Mommy gossip circuit - thanks!
Susie
PS - You can send people here to subscribe to get the next Healthy Little Note!