A Healthy Little Note: Issue #20

It's hard to believe that this is my 20th Healthy Little Sleepers newsletter!

It's been a blast sharing sleeping tips, stories and struggles with you. Here's to the next 20! 

Being a full-time mom with a full-time job, it was hard for me to imagine keeping to a steady newsletter schedule. But just like sleep, consistency is key.

In this week's newsletter I talk about getting back into the sleep swing of things as we transition from summer nights to early school mornings, share some lessons on teaching your kiddos self control, a super-relatable article about what we learn from parenting, some tips to help your little one focus this school year, and a link to an adorable and highly effective baby swaddle. 

Twenty down...here we go! 
 

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1. THE CURE FOR THE POST-VACATION BEDTIME BLUES

Vacations can be unforgettable times for families to get away, spend time together and make memories...until you get home and realize your kiddos are totally off their sleep schedules and the whole household is completely out of whack. 

This recently happened to my family and it took a couple of weeks to get us back on track.

How did we do it?

It's hard to keep your composure in the middle of the night (even for me!), so I had to heed some of the advice I typically give to others.

I took a deep breath and thought about what I wanted them to do - NOT what I didn't want them to do (which of course included climbing into my bed, laying on top of me, and tossing and turning the rest of the night).

In my post this week I share the steps I took to re-train my littles on the virtue of a good night's sleep.

We're all finally snoozing soundly...that is until the next developmental shift or life stressor comes along where they'll need a little extra TLC.  

And if you you need a little bit of that TLC now..don't worry, I've got ya - go here to schedule a FREE 15-minute call with me and we can chat about it!

Or, just reply to this email with any questions you have, and I'll be happy to answer.

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2. FIVE PHRASES TO HELP WITH SELF CONTROL

There's a bit of mystery surrounding the day-to-day happenings inside of a Montessori school. Without traditional rules and boundaries, how DO they keep kids from running wild? 

Their first lesson? Self control. 

This great Motherly article teaches us some of the key phrases teachers use to help kiddos learn self control in school, and they work just as well at home!

I already use lesson #2 and #3, and plan to incorporate some of the other great tips into our daily routine soon.  
 

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3. PARENTING ISN'T REWARDING

That headline stopped me in my tracks.

I clicked on this Medium piece confident I would disagree with what the author had to say -- of course parenting is rewarding!

But as I read it, I found myself nodding my head throughout - maybe he has a point?

Parenting isn't always rewarding in the traditional sense, and it pushes us way beyond our limits.

But, as the author points out, "Parenting has pushed me to constantly question myself and say, 'Was that the best I can do?' Often the answer is no, so I pick myself up, dust myself off and try again, and I'm a better person for it." 

And if that isn't rewarding...I don't know what is.

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4. GROWING UP IS HARD

As week three of school started for us, coming home and even getting one single sheet of 1st grade homework done has been a challenge.

The focus (or lack thereof) and hunger (because there's no time to eat lunch when all you want to do is play) have been things we're tackling.

Incorporating lessons from this super helpful article on ways to refocus has really helped - even if it's still a work in progress. 
 

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5. SUPER SWADDLE

Meet the Ollie Swaddle - a great all-in-one swaddle that grows with your baby so you don't have to keep buying new ones as your little one grows.

The material is super soft, lightweight and stretchy so you can get your kiddo nice and snug as a bug with the easy velcro.

I only wish was that this was around when my babies were babies! 

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That's it for this (20th!!) 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!