Mastering Sweet Dreams: A Guide to Crafting a Healthy Sleep Routine for Young Children
In the journey of parenthood, few challenges are as universally relatable as the quest for a good night’s sleep - both for you and your little ones. Those peaceful nights of uninterrupted slumber may feel like distance memories as you navigate the mysterious realm of bedtime battles and midnight awakenings. Roughly 25% of children experience sleep issues. Ensuring adequate rest is crucial for all children. A child who does not get sufficient sleep frequently exhibits irritability, challenging behavior, and the possibility of impaired academic performance. But here’s the good news: you’re not alone. Countless parents around the world are on a similar journey. In the pursuit of a tranquil bedtime, establishing a routine that includes essential steps like brushing teeth and donning cozy pajamas is not just about enforcing rules; it’s about nurturing healthy habits that can last a lifetime.
So, prepare to unlock the magic of bedtime harmony. It’s time to say goodbye to bedtime battles and hello to sweet dreams.
Visual Schedule: Create a visual schedule that outlines the steps of the nighttime routine using pictures or icons. Visual schedules make it easier for children to understand and follow the sequence of tasks.
Establish a wind-down routine: Aside from maintaining a consistent sleep schedule, be sure to eliminate blue light early on, while incorporating soothing activities, such as, taking a warm bath, coloring, listening to calming music and reading a book.
Consistency: Stick to a consistent bedtime routine. This means starting and ending at the same time each night, even on the weekends. Consistency helps regulate the body’s internal clock.
Bedtime Routine Choice: Allow your child to have some choice in their bedtime routine. For example, they can choose which book to read or which pajamas to wear. This can increase their sense of control.
Countdowns: Give your child a countdown to help them prepare for transitions. For instance, say, “In 10 minutes, it will be time to start our bedtime routine.”
Positive Reinforcement: Use positive reinforcement to motivate the desired behavior. For instance, provide rewards or praise for following the bedtime routine or staying in bed through the night.
Sleep Diary: Keep a sleep diary to monitor your child’s sleep patterns. This information can help you identify any issues and track progress over time.
Along with the suggested general strategies, Sleep Training is one of the most effective and long term parental techniques addressing sleep concerns and increasing nightly sleep. The process of teaching your child how to fall asleep and remain asleep is a methodical process that we have tailored to meet your needs, reference Sleep Training Schedule. Once you have identified your child’s schedule consider which of the following methods will work for you and your family:
Controlled Crying Method
Who: Energetic/Strong-willed or Laid-Back Babies
What: Leave baby’s bedroom & come back periodically for quick comfort until the child falls back asleep independently
How long: (2-5 days)
No Fuss Method
Who: Sensitive toddlers & toddlers, parents who want to minimize crying
What: Remove one sleep crutch at a time, move slow and gradual to allow the child to adapt to the changes (fade out)
How Long: A few weeks
Camp Out Method
Who: Older children (9 months) Toddlers, Anxious, Separation Anxiety
What: Hang out in the child’s bedroom quietly, allow them to learn to self-soothe and put themselves to sleep.
How Long: One week
Pick Up/Place Down Method
Who: Younger babies (5-8 months) or Sensitive/Affectionate babies
What: Focus on the baby falling asleep in the crib, can pick them up if they cry. Put them back down in the crib awake.
How Long: 1-2 weeks
As parents you know your child best. We always recommend ruling out medical concerns, such as asthma, colic, restless leg syndrome, GI issues, or any pain, since this could be a reason sleep training is not working. No matter what strategy, sleep schedule or method you choose, make sure you and your partner are on the same page and ensure consistency. Although family parties, attending events, socializing etc. are a part of life, it is important that you prioritize your child's sleep routine over these. Making adjustments and sacrifices are not only beneficial for your child's mental and cognitive health, but also for your mental health.
By: Kathleen Quinn MS BCBA LBA & Dr. Sarah Farsijany
ABA in the classroom: Creating a Strategy Toolbox for Teachers
Back to school
As an educator, there are so many things competing for your attention when transitioning back to school. There are a number of proactive strategies that classroom teachers can incorporate daily in order to decrease back to school stress and create a nurturing learning environment for all students. When these strategies are consistently applied, they often obviate the need to conduct a full functional behavior assessment, allowing teachers to craft a behavior intervention plan for many students. Here are five strategies to consider:
Toolbox Strategy #1: Class-wide token economies
Building a classroom-wide token is one of the most effective classroom management practices. When implementing a classroom-wide token economy, you must identify the behaviors that would be highly desirable in the classroom. We suggest creating this as a set of classroom expectations and rules. Once these are identified, then determine what backup reinforcer the class will earn. The reward should be something that your students will be empowered to work for. If you’re able to have this as a whole class discussion or a journal entry, it allows you to determine the class preferences and what is feasible within your means as the educator. Last, set up a goal! E.g., “When we fill this jar with marbles (or chart with stickers), we will earn that bonus recess time!” Reset and restart! Change up reinforcers, and continue to monitor the expectations and goal!
Toolbox Strategy #2: Transition preparation
Transitions signify the periods between activities and hold a crucial role in the daily functioning of every classroom. They encompass movements between instructional segments within the classroom, transitions from one class to another, the movement to and from the cafeteria, recess, special classes and even trips to lockers or cubbies. Transitions are an integral aspect of daily life, occupying a significant portion of the school day and while playing a vital role in fostering independent living skills. However, it’s important to note that for some students, transitions can be anxiety-inducing, leading to inappropriate behaviors, making it challenging to manage your classroom. There are several effective strategies that classroom teachers can employ to assist students who struggle with transitions throughout the school day. One strategy is verbal preparation, which specifies the end time of an activity.
Toolbox Strategy #3: Behavior specific praise
Using behavior-specific praise in the classroom is a potent method for enhancing positive behavior in the classroom. This evidence-based classroom management strategy has been demonstrated to improve student behavior by informing students what positive behavior looks like. By linking praise to anticipated and suitable behaviors, students can establish connections between their actions and reinforcement. Prior to implementing behavior-specific praise in your classroom, ask yourself, what behaviors would I like to see more of?
Toolbox Strategy #4: Replacement behaviors or Differential Reinforcement
In order to promote positive behavior and redirect maladaptive behavior, it’s important that teachers provide the student with a more appropriate behavior. By providing a replacement behavior the student is learning a new skill that will benefit the student across multiple settings. Let’s say a student continues to call out, an immediate response may be, “stop calling out”. A more effective way is to provide the student with the replacement behavior “please raise your hand.” This teaches the student the behavior you are looking for, further signaling behavior that will receive reinforcement. It is important that the other behavior, calling out, doesn’t receive reinforcement.
Toolbox Strategy #5: Consistency and Timing
Consistency and timing are crucial in behavior change. When reinforcing a behavior, the student should access reinforcement immediately following the desired behavior. The longer a student waits to be reinforced, the less potent the reinforcer becomes. The key to consistency and timing is when the desired behavior occurs, reinforcement should be delivered consistently and quickly to increase the likelihood of the behavior occurring in the future!
Conclusion
Challenging behavior in the classroom can be overwhelming, but how you proactively arrange and modify your behavioral toolbox is the key to creating a positive learning environment. Using behavior modification is rewarding for student success and teacher triumph! We encourage you to explore the strategies provided and determine where they can be embedded into your classroom environment. Every student is unique and communicates their wants and needs differently, but with the use of these strategies, you can proactively support all students learning!
By: Kathleen Quinn MS BCBA LBA & Dr. Sarah Farsijany
Unleashing the Potential of Parent Training and Consistency to Overcome Defeat and Burnout.
The importance of self-care cannot be overlooked or overstated. When children engage in maladaptive behaviors, the demands of caring for them can often lead to increased stress and burnout. Parent training is one of the most effective research-based strategies offered to parents because it is specifically designed and individualized to increase parent knowledge in behavioral strategies. Parent training not only decreases stress and burnout but helps improve family interactions and treatment outcomes. It provides direct access and support to the techniques to start improving your child's behavior through collaboration, modeling (demonstrating a desired behavior or skill), and feedback. A common misconception is that parent training can be done sporadically. However, this often leads to negative consequences such as treatment inconsistencies, inaccurate and inefficient use of strategies, as well as regression. A refresher never hurts, but real results come from consistency in order to see tangible change. Like every form of therapy, consistency in parent training leads to stability, predictability, and long-term results. Further, consistent ABA parent training is crucial for maximizing the benefits of ABA therapy and promoting the overall development and well-being of children with disabilities. In order for parents to be consistent, setting realistic goals and tracking the progress of those goals is one of the most beneficial ways to ensure long-term success. Further, parent training is one of the most powerful tools we can provide as it empowers parents to become effective advocates, educators, and supporters of their children, both within the therapy setting and in everyday life.
Breakdown of the significance of ABA parent training:
Empowerment: ABA parent training empowers parents with the knowledge, skills, and tools needed to actively participate in their child’s therapy. This empowerment helps parents feel more confident in supporting their child’s progress.
Consistency: Children with disabilities benefit greatly from consistency in their routines and environments. When parents are trained to apply ABA techniques consistently, it creates a stable and supportive environment for the child’s growth.
Customized Learning: Every child is unique, and ABA parent training often involves tailoring strategies to suit the child’s specific needs. Parents learn how to modify techniques to align with their child’s strengths and challenges.
Advocacy Skills: Parent training in ABA equips parents with the tools to advocate effectively for the child’s needs, both within and outside the therapy context. This advocacy is essential for securing appropriate educational resources and support.
Skill Generalization: Parents learn how to facilitate the generalization of skills across different settings and people. This ensures that the child’s progress is not limited to one specific context or individual.
Long-Term Impact: The skills parents learn through ABA training have a lasting impact. They continue to support their child’s growth and development as they transition into different stages of life.
Community Support: Consistent parent training creates a network of informed and supportive parents who can share experiences, strategies, and resources, creating a sense of community.
Positive Parent-Child Relationship: Learning and applying ABA techniques can strengthen the bond between parent and child. When parents understand how to communicate effectively and address challenges, it leads to a more positive relationship.
Holistic Development: ABA parent training often focuses on a range of skills beyond the specific behaviors targeted in therapy. This can include communication, social interactions, self-care, and more, contributing to the child’s overall development.
Positive parent training practices can significantly influence a child’s social, emotional and cognitive development. Parent education offers tools and strategies aimed at maximizing positive outcomes for children and families. In addition, research has shown that ABA parent training can lead to a decreased level of stress for parents in their daily life and routines along with improvement in overall family health. Therefore, parent training services offer benefits not solely to the child undergoing intervention but helps the parent themselves and the family as a whole.
By: Kathleen Quinn MS BCBA LBA & Dr. Sarah Farsijany