Guest Author - Paula Petrie

Why won’t my child sleep through the night? How do I get my child to settle down, so I can have some down time too? I am so tired, most of the time I can barely function. Sound familiar? Mary Kurcinka offers realistic advice, a new perspective, and sound strategies for revising your bedtime routine in her practical and compassionate, “Sleepless in America.”

If your child is short-tempered feels overwhelmed by school or homework, is a bear in the morning or any other time of day, there is a great chance that this child is not getting enough sleep.

Kurcinka asks, "How can a child that is supposedly so tired somehow garner the energy to veer off her path enough to bop her brother in the head, and jump on her bed laughing hysterically when you try to get her down for the night?

When you are aware your child is tense and out of sync with his body clock, and also understand the reasons for it, you won't feel as though your child is intentionally misbehaving."

It's hard to believe but the real culprit of this type of behavior is likely a lack of sleep. Through offering the latest research, motherly understanding, and real family stories of frustration, Kurcinka shows how rushing around, changing or skipping routines, and for some kids, even a glass of pop in the midmorning can reek havoc on a child’s ability to fall asleep.

Kurcinka lays out plans to help you help your child get his rest, through a process of tuning into the child’s temperament, body clock, and environment. Then you must be willing to adjust his schedule, his environment, and possibly his diet, to compliment his unique needs, even though it may be inconvenient for family activities, or your own plans and appointments.

How often do we drag our kids out later than we would like for sports events, concerts, or dinners to accommodate our schedules? How often do we allow children to stay up and watch a favored show on TV, with the consequences being instant irritability or spending the next day mopping up our kid’s irrational emotions? Are you wondering what harm staying up a little later once and a while creates? The big problems come with lifestyle; a compounded lack of sleep and emotional tension, from our kids not being able to settle at bedtime, and our not accurately reading the signs.

Kurcinka states, “Researchers believe sleep plays a fundamental role in healthy brain development. Without sufficient sleep your child’s performance, mood, focus, and ability to work with others deteriorate rapidly. Power struggles begin with a lousy night’s sleep.”

This is a wonderful sleep aid for any aged child, or the mom. Kurcinka weaves solutions within the premise that every child has a time window when they are ready or need sleep. Respecting a child’s body clock when scheduling outings, and the child’s temperament by providing an environment of calm through reducing tension triggers before bedtime; anytime a child is tired and requires this; or as a lifestyle choice, will go a long way in helping your child relax and wind down.

Kurcinka offers ways to customize the bedtime routine to suit your child. She discusses the unique needs of the high-energy, the sensitive, and the intense child and the fact that lack of sleep can sometimes be mistaken for other health problems. Alos, the effects and timing of exercise and emotional growth spurts.

She covers areas such as, how to plan a successful trip or have a peaceful start to the morning. She also offers help for the transition from crib to big bed; moving to another home or just down the hall, and so much more. All of Kurcinka's advice involves compassionately tending to the child's emotional needs and becoming aware of this child's tension triggers.

“Give yourself a pat on the back when you make the tough decision to honor your child’s bedtime. Acknowledge the strength it has taken to do what you know in your heart is in the best interest of your child’s well being even when it is the unpopular choice.” Mary Sheedy Kurcinka