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K. Brewer: Posted on Tuesday, August 02, 2011 2:14 PM
This morning on the Today show one of the topics was on bed-sharing; it was an interesting segment. For those of you who missed it, I will post the link on our facebook page. Below is an exert of the article which can also be found on the Today show website. "Researchers are saying relax when it comes to bed-sharing. If it works for your family, go with it. There is no harm to your child’s intellectual or social development, according to a new Columbia University study of nearly 1,000 families. The American Academy of Pediatrics still recommends against co-sleeping until after age 1 due to the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). The Columbia study was on toddlers. Why the stigma attached to bed-sharing? Dr. Joshua Weiner, child and adult psychiatrist, tells TODAY viewers that “parents don’t want to look like they don’t have control over their kids.” Bed-sharing is common in Asia and Africa, but it’s not the norm in the U.S. However, there is a growing trend of parents no longer afraid to admit they let their kids snooze in bed with them." Tell us what you think! Is this a no-no in your home or do you consider this just a phase that your child will outgrow when he/she is ready? Does the new bed-sharing research help you to be more open about your sleeping arrangements?" This is sure to be a hot topic on which most of you probably have an opinion. I hope you will share your thoughts with us... |
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K. Brewer: Posted on Wednesday, July 06, 2011 4:39 PM
Kids thrive on consistency and a feeling of security. As they grow they want to test the limits and it’s our job as parents to let them know the boundaries are strong and the child can safely and securely explore and experience his/her world while learning that behavior has logical consequences. It’s never too early to start setting limits and allowing kids to learn from the logical consequences of choices. And it can all be done from a positive and loving place. Over the next few weeks our blog will touch on some areas where parents can begin setting some boundaries and consequences for when boundaries are crossed. This week the focus will be on bedtime which for some can be a real chore. Many families struggle with setting up a bedtime routine and as a result find themselves in a battle zone every night with little ones refusing to go to bed or constantly invading the parental bedroom in the middle of the night. Everybody ends up sleep deprived and very grumpy. Experts recommend setting a bedtime with a consistent routine that leads to the child being in his/her own bedroom with the firm expectation that he/she will stay there, settle down and fall asleep. Parents can’t force children to fall asleep but they can set limits for children to stay in their room and allow control or choice about story or not, cuddle or not, light on or not, and so on. A calming down period 30-45 minutes before bedtime is useful to help children wind down. Some children respond well to a bath before bedtime followed by a bedtime story. Whatever your routine, it should be the same every night. Sweet Dreams...! Like our fan page to interact with our facebook community |
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