Why Sleep Matters

In my March, Family Matters with Amber column, I talked about my recent need to address poor behavior at home. As a part of the punishment, I had begun to put my children to bed earlier than their scheduled bedtimes and coincidentally found instant improvement.

Call it coincidence?
I thought not.

So, I researched the internet for links between lack of sleep and childhood behavioral problems.

Figuring that all the parenting books I've read over the years, I wouldn't find much more than I already knew about kids' need for sleep.

But, I have to say I was actually quite surprised at the amount of information that's out there (and plenty I didn't know) about how lack of sleep can affect children.

I'd like to share it with you.

First, let's look at the signs.

Next let's see how much sleep our kids should be getting.

And, then let's find out how sleep deprivation can affect more than just mood (think...brain function).

Lastly, how are you sleeping mom and dad?
Read This if your most commonly mumbled phrase is: "I'll sleep when I'm dead".

For parents, it's so easy to substitute sleep for something else...there's no one there telling us to 'GO TO BED!', but, read this and rethink your own night owl habits and you might even enjoy parenting more if you start getting some shut-eye.

What do you put of sleep for?

How can you tell when you are sleep deprived?

Green Punch Buggy....!!!!

Green Punch Buggy...No Punch Back! As I was writing this blog post, my son came to me showing off his Lego creation. And don't you know I got hit at least five times since on my computer screen was displaying at least five different punch buggies, of five different colors thanks to Google Images. (Bad timing I'm thinking...) How can we possibly have world peace with these silly cars in the world!? ;) Don't the owners of these cute-but-obnoxious-cars understand that driving these things around town promotes violence!? ;) Anyhow.... The original purpose of this blog was to ask parents everywhere this question: Do you find yourself saying 'PUNCH BUGGY *BLANK-COLOR*! ' to yourself, even when the kids are not in the car??? I do! Isn't it funny how those games we used to play as a child are still around? I bet our parents say the same thing.... HAPPY FRIIIIIIDAAAAYYYY! P.S. I got hit at least ten more times, since as my son stood beside

Back to School Anxiety: Bullying

Download “School Boy Being Stressed” by David Castillo Dominici via freedigitalphotos.net I recently wrote about how to help your child if they’re struggling with going back to school because they were bullied. My biggest most important tip was to listen, because I honestly could not write a ‘How-to-make-them-not-afraid’ column. Frankly I thought that was absurd. Fear is sometimes real. Anxiety is sometimes truly there, and for a good reason. Our job as parents isn’t to try to make it go away, it’s to try to find out the true source of those worrisome feelings. If you’d like to read more, click here. And if you’re child is struggling to find excitement about the new school year, don’t deny it, just accept it and move forward gently. Here’s some more on bullying: Family Matters Links: A Touching Story/Song Bullying: A thing of the past A Peace Poem By My Teenage Daughter A Deeper Insight into My Thoughts on People Who Bring Harm to Others Other Links: Stop Bul

Good Customer Service At Home

Over the years, my careers have mainly been customer service based. I started in a family business and then moved on up through the rungs from waitress, to hostess, to sales associate, manager and eventually the GM of a hotel. In all my years, my training taught me that you should always do your best to take your customer all the way to what they need, make them happy, and never leave them until they are done with you. I pride myself on my customer service abilities. Though the other day, I think I failed at customer service in my own home! I was getting ready to cut my daughter's hair and because of how long it had gotten (she's been growing it out for a year!) I felt this time it would be best if instead of me spritzing it with water, she could wash and condition it real quick. She was fully clothed so I just suggested she run into the bathroom and wash her hair in the tub. She’s fourteen. I suppose I just assumed that she knew how to kneel over the tub and do it.

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