Sweet Sleep

Taking the Big Kid Bed Plunge – Strategies to get a Child to Move into a Big Kid Bed

While there is no ‘right’ age for moving your child into his or her own big kid bed, there does come a point where it’s simply necessary for one reason or another. The appropriate time is different for each family, depending on their sleeping arrangements and what’s comfortable for the family and the child.

Timing is Everything. Moving into a big kid bed is a big transition for a young child. While exciting, it can also be scary and overwhelming. The move has to happen when everything else in the child’s life is consistent. Do not do it if the child is experiencing another major change at the same time. If he/she is potty training, weaning from nursing or a bottle, or starting school or daycare, wait until the child is comfortable with that transition first. If the move to the bed is coming because a new baby is expected, do the move months before the baby comes.

 

Continue with your bedtime routine. If you don’t have a routine, now is the time to set one up. For ideas on what this routine should include, you can see Bed-Time Tips for your Child.

Let your child be involved in the process. When a child is involved, it gives him ownership over the situation and allows him to feel that he is part of the decision. This can mean letting him pick out the bed, the comforter or a pillow cover and perhaps a stuffed animal to keep on the bed to snuggle with.

Talk about it. Start the big kid bed conversation a couple of weeks before the actual move. Start talking about other family members or friends who sleep in big kid beds. Get some children books, such as Your Own Big Bed and A Bed of Your Own to read together.

Expect that it will take some time. Chances are that your child won’t just go into his new bed and sleep through the night right away and that’s okay. Give him positive encouragement just for staying in it however long he does, even if it’s only a minute. Then remind the child he has to stay in his own bed. It make take a week or two before he/she is comfortable enough to stay put.

Stay with your child. You want your child to feel safe. The first few nights, get in bed and cuddle until he/she falls asleep. Then gently walk away once the child is asleep. If he/she wakes, go back in and cuddle. After a few days, if you decide that cuddling is not to be part of the bedtime routine, you can stay by the door to reassure your child you are still there, spending less time at the door each night.

Making a Difference – One Piece of Trash at a Time

You’ve probably heard the story “The Start Thrower” by Loren Eiseley at some

point. It’s the one where a man is throwing stranded starfish back into the ocean one

by one and when told it won’t make a difference, he replies, “It made a difference

to that one.” Every day each one of us is also making a difference, good or bad, in

even the most mundane things we do and yet we often don’t realize it. For instance,

when you are throwing a glass bottle into your recyclables, you are saving enough

energy to “run a 100 watt light bulb for 4 hours”(Recycling Revolution). When your

alarm clock needs new batteries and you simply toss the old ones into the garbage,

you are actually contributing to the addition of potentially hazardous compounds

to the air that we breathe and the water that we drink. I try to be mindful about

recycling and the way I discard of my trash because I know that in some small way

my efforts are actually helping this earth and my fellow human beings. I also know

that my small efforts are a part of one big effort that millions of people partake in,

and that makes a big difference!

Because the majority of us are pretty savvy when it comes to the basic recycling

components (cans, paper and such), I thought I would touch upon items that people

usually don’t think about recycling, as well as items that if discarded improperly can

have a negative impact on our environment. After all, the more you know, the more

mindful you can be, thus keeping your environment safer.

Books – Having graduated from college as an English major, it pains me to see books

in the garbage! Used books in good condition can be donated to your local library.

Depending on the library, the books are reused in different ways. Sometimes they

are put on the shelves, sometimes they are sold and the funds are used to support

the library, and sometimes they are given to charity.

Batteries – Among other things, batteries contribute to heavy metals that

potentially may leach from solid waste landfills (EHSO). For hazardous waste

material, such as batteries, compact florescent light bulbs or fertilizers, go to

http://www.Earth911.com. Type in your zip code and you’ll get a list of places you can

bring these items in to recycle. I was surprised to see how many local locations

there are accepting these items. For instance, most libraries accept the alkaline, or

single use batteries. Because it wouldn’t be practical to drive to one of these places

for every battery or light bulb that needs replacing, keep a box in a safe place away

from children or pets where you keep a collection. Once the box is full discard of

them all at once!

Fertilizers: According to many State Departments of Public Health and

Environment, throwing fertilizer in your trashcan is the least desirable method of

getting rid of it. The solution? Only buy what you need and if you have extra see

if a neighbor can use it. Otherwise, you should dispose of it through your town’s

Household Hazardous Waste Collection Program. On a side note, this should make

you think twice about using non-organic fertilizer on your lawn, especially if it is a

place where children and pets play. Fertilizers and pesticides have been linked to

the increase of childhood leukemia and brain cancer.

Medication: So you can’t recycle medication, but you can save the water that we

drink from becoming contaminated. When medicine containing any form of mercury

is flushed down the toilet, it ends up in our waterways (where it comes to us via the

water we drink and the fish we eat) and when thrown in the garbage, it ends up in

the air we breathe. Mercury turns into methylmercury, which is extremely toxic. To

discard of medication properly, take it to your local police department where they

will dispose of it safely.

Even the smallest step forward is a step in the right direction. By recycling and

helping to discard of hazardous waste properly, you are helping to make a positive

difference in both our present and our future.

Mattresses: Yes, even mattress can be recycled instead ending up in a landfill.

http://www.Earth911.com can give you the information you need to find a place that

accepts them near you. And then check our green mattresses that do not contain

any of the chemicals that you wouldn’t want lying around in a landfill or in your

home!

Stress!

The holidays are now upon us, and along with the cheer, peace and love, often comes… stress. Throughout the normal course of any given day, we all go through it in some capacity. Stress is a normal part of life and can be a great motivator, if it’s a healthy amount. However, it seems more and more people are under an immense amount of stress, so much so that it consumes them.

Because all people really want is to be happy, especially during the holiday season, here’s a few tips on helping to minimize stress, or to at least put some things in perspective…

1.      Do something at least once or twice a week that you enjoy. Of course, doing this every day is ideal and would be of the most benefit, but if it stresses you out even more finding the time for it each day or makes you feel guilty for not getting to it, it’s not worth it! Even if it’s a ten-minute meditation or walk, doing something for yourself helps to clear your head, bringing some balance back into your life.

2.      Eat well! Sugar, fried, and processed foods put stress on the entire body, making the immune system have to work extra hard. Eating whole, clean foods, such as fruits, vegetables and sprouted grains help to give your body the essential nutrients it needs. Fish is key as well, providing the essential fatty acids to help promote brain function.

3.      Sleep! This seems to get pushed aside even more so during the holiday season, as people stay up late cooking, getting ready for parties and in the next month, shopping and wrapping gifts. However, getting eight hours of sleep a night (on a chemical free mattress, of course) helps to make for clear thinking, allowing us to get more done efficiently.

4.      Smile! Smiling is contagious and, according to Psychology Today, a 2012 study shows that smiling speeds recovery from stress J.

Above all, be open to the peace and love of the season.  May you all have a blessed Thanksgiving!