This post is for my new neighbors... let's hope they're not logging on :)
Note: Both kids happily asleep in different locations
The other night a couple of families from our neighborhood were hanging out with their kids in our driveway. Our kids are all within 3 year age difference- so everyone was having fun playing (Theo was pretending to play Bob the Builder with Nathalia from across the street).
Our new next door neighbor emerged and joined in the convo with his 16mth old. We had just been explaining some sleep difficulties with Phoebe (i.e nightly wakeup and in our bed). The next morning my neighbor came over with the name and number of a sleep coach for Phoebe. They had used her for their son (who has a name that came to him in a dream...). The sleep coach will work with you for a couple of nights/weeks and charges $100/hr. Okay, thank you, bye-bye.
We definitely live in Marin when folks are hiring sleep coaches for their babes. I don't need a sleep coach, I just need ear plugs for my 2yr old so I can let Phoebe cry it out and learn to sleep in the crib (instead she kicks off a chorus of cry once Theo gets wakened).
My neighbor is very nice and came with the best of intentions. I wanted to say "are you kidding me, my family would laugh me off of the planet if they heard we hired a sleep coach.... no instructions needed thank you."
In all honesty I'm sure some situations require a coach and I too fall victim to the wandering ways of being a Marin resident. The other night I confessed to my husband- yes I'm recycling some of Theo's pajamas for Phoebe- don't tell anyone and when we have a babysitter or guests- make sure to put her in her girl pajamas instead of the handy me downs, okay? I'll admit- I'm freakish about the girl clothes!
Can't imagine where you get trained and credentled as a sleep coach. I did spend some time with a shrink whose main interest and lifework was sleep in children. He videoed them at night. Most kids awaken during the night and most will put themselves back to sleep. They need security like a stuffed toy, blanket or his favorite trick...a juicey tee shirt from mom. Wear a tee shirt for a few days and get plenty of you on it, don't wash it, just roll it into a knot and toss it in the bed. The kid forages around half awake, smells it and pulls it to them and back to sleep.
Maybe your coach specifies a certain fashion for Marin babies.
Posted by: Grampa | August 23, 2006 at 01:19 PM