I’ve been practicing Mindful Parenting (AKA gentle, respectful, conscious, or positive parenting) for over 3 years now. And yes, I used the word “practice” with intention. I am not perfect at it (at all!) and truly do practice every day. Some days I’m more successful than others. (There’s no such thing as a perfect parent but that’s for another post.) I am incredibly passionate about parenting in this way and it’s a natural fit for sleep coaching.
Being a mindfulness-based sleep coach, means working with me is a little bit different than other sleep coaches.
A Family Centered Approach
By incorporating mindfulness into sleep training the process becomes a family goal rather than something you are doing “to” your child. The family becomes a team that is working towards a common goal of better sleep.
The process also becomes centered on building trust within the family. Trust builds and bonding occurs when we get really consistent with how we respond to the child at bedtime and throughout the night. By being consistent, children learn to trust their caregivers.
Rewriting the Sleep Narrative
We all have stories AKA narratives in our heads about everything. Usually when a family comes to me their narrative around sleep is one filled with frustration, exhaustion, and hopelessness, which makes total sense! We rewrite their narrative so we can focus on exactly what the family wants. What we focus on, we get more of. We get really clear about the family’s sleep goals and come up with thoughts, beliefs and actions that match their goals.
We shift from the mindset of “my child is a terrible sleeper” to “my child is learning a new skill and we believe they can do it”. This mindset makes a huge difference throughout the process.
Revamping the Bedtime Routine with Self Care
For most families, bedtime can be a super stressful part of the day. As a parent I know, I’m tired at that point, ready for a break and my kids are tired too. This recipe can end in a lot of dysregulation and drama. To avoid that, we build self-care mindfulness activities into the bedtime routine. This reduces stress, anxiety and builds relationships. I mean, doesn’t that sound like something we all want?!
If mindfulness is new to you don’t be intimidated. I will coach you through it every step of the way and sleep training is truly a wonderful and unique way to introduce mindfulness to your family.
Have questions or need sleep help? Book an Intro Call here to chat with me!
Xo,
Stephanie