Jul 8, 2021
During the pandemic, Danielle has focused on prioritizing her parenting life. Now, 10 months in, she’s exhausted, and it has a lot to do with how little sleep she's getting. Her 3.5-year-old son wakes her up in the middle of the night and her 16-month-old daughter is used to a nighttime bottle feeding. Between the two of them, Danielle is struggling with sleep deprivation and the resulting exhaustion.
Today, I talk with Danielle about how she can talk to each of her kids to help resolve this problem. I note that her 16-month-old is old enough to understand, and I explain that it'll be helpful for Danielle not to make it about herself and her own need for sleep when she explains the situation to her toddler. I talk about the power of an expressions chart and a sleeping bag in resolving Danielle’s situation with her 3.5-year-old. Finally, I explain why guilt about the past isn't helpful.
“You’re accommodating him in his needs, and you're also accommodating your own.”
-Sue Groner
This week on The Parenting Mentor:
- Talking to your toddler
- The value of “and” over “but”
- Weaning your toddler off of a nightly milk bottle
- The power of a chart
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