What is it really like to hire a Pediatric Sleep Consultant?
When you hire a Certified Pediatric Sleep Consultant or Sleep Coach, we’ll figure out your child’s ideal sleep schedule, determine the best sleep training method for your family, and you’ll have a new support when times are really hard and your confidence is rattled.
That’s most of it. It’s not everything. It’s important to understand a few nuances of the process. Read on to get a full picture of what it’s really like. This blog will tell you all about your relationship with your sleep coach.
Are you ready? I’m ready! I’m so excited for you to achieve your sleep goals and I’m thrilled to be part of the process. It’s going to be a great new phase of family life and hopefully a propulsion into a solid and united approach for future skill building. That being said, the coaching relationship is an interesting one! I’m an ally and a support, and I will also help you stay on track to achieve your sleep goals. Sometimes I might ask you to think about a new perspective or try something you wouldn’t naturally do - but please understand I’m always on your side!
What you can expect from me:
Firstly, you need to know that I’m here for you. I will provide helpful and proven strategies for sleep success based on your child’s age and your parenting philosophy. I will reassure you with what you’re already doing right. And you can bet I’m going to remind you how worthy you are and how important your own needs are, Momma. I have been there before and I have needed the same support to just make it through. I’m the supportive friend you really need when you’re feeling like you’re alone and don’t know what to do about your child’s sleep.
Secondly, you need to know your child is number one in this whole process. I care about their success and I’ll be cheering them on the whole way. Our entire plan will be created for the benefit of your child - who is supported and nurtured by you, who also needs to benefit! You need to be able to show up as the best parent possible for them. We simply cannot do so if we’re chronically sleep deprived. So we’re doing this for everyone.
I won’t ask you to do anything you’re uncomfortable doing, however I will make recommendations and educate you on how your decisions and actions impact your child’s sleep. You’re hiring me as a knowledgeable, trained professional who will be acting as a neutral third party. I commit to listening to you, working with you in accordance with your parenting philosophy and ensuring that everyone is doing well with the journey we're embarking on. My mission is to coach your family and provide support in an effort for you as your child’s parents to feel empowered in their sleep wellness.
One last important thing to know going into this is that if you don’t already have them, I will ask you to make some basic sleep product investments depending on your child’s age. We will chat about what’s best and why these items are required for my programs to ensure success in this process.
-white noise machine
-black out product for a pitch black room
-swaddle(s)
-sleep sack(s)
-wake up clock
-immediate as well as larger incentives to use with my reward chart system
If you want to see my recommended products plus discount codes right now, click here to go to the Snooze Shop. I can brainstorm lots of ideas with you for a variety of incentives for your child, but the more you put into it, the better your child will learn and the quicker you’ll achieve your goals. Plus, everything will be more likely to stick.
What I expect from clients:
1. I ask for your trust and confidence in my experience, education, and abilities as your professional sleep coach. I hold a Bachelor of Arts degree in Behavioural Science, so I have studied child development, attachment theory, parenting science and environmental factors on human beings as they interact with society. This includes research on empirically based, long-term sleep training studies. Additionally I’m certified as a Pediatric Sleep Consultant. However, the most significant qualification I hold is that I am a mother and I know how important it is to provide loving and caring support for our little ones!
2. Full disclosure as it applies to the situation: I hope you will keep me in the loop! If you weren't able to follow the schedule perfectly one day or you did something outside the plan for any reason, it's okay, you won't be in trouble! This is a safe and judgment-free zone. I just need to know because it could affect how we move forward, or we might need to change our expectations for your child’s upcoming night. Please remember I am here for you. I do my best to be approachable and I want to provide a safe space for you to ask questions and share hesitancies, concerns or anything you may not be fully on board with in your Sleep Wellness Plan. This especially applies if something is not going well so I can either affirm and support or modify.
3. Commitment to see the plan through from beginning to end: I am hired as a sleep professional to help you step back and see what needs to happen. You're the ones out on the court playing the game and I have to trust that you're following through with every step in our agreed upon plan. You will achieve your goals if you fully commit to the process and follow through. If you are inconsistent with follow through, likely it won’t work or it won’t stick. This means every item in the plan for each day throughout the entirety of our term. Again, I will never make you do something you don’t want to do and if things need to be re-evaluated, we can discuss the best solution together. You’ll need to be really determined to follow through to ensure you reach your goals.
Does that work for you? If you are still wondering how this will all work for your unique situation, schedule a free 30 minute intro call and we can get to know each other. These calls are designed for you to determined if I’m the right fit for your family. I cannot wait to get to know you and help you transform your whole family’s sleep!
-Keara
