In modern society parents feel like they are on their own, but this isn’t how we were designed to parent. The African proverb “it takes a village to bring up a child” just doesn’t seem to apply to modern day life.
Let me go through what you want to look for when you hire a sleep coach
THEY ACKNOWLEDGE YOU AS THE EXPERT ON YOUR CHILD
It is really important that professionals do not come in and portray themselves as the expert. You should always be made to feel and believe that you are truly the only experts on your child. You know them better, have been with them longer and understand them more completely that any visiting professional ever can.
FAMILY CENTRED CARE SHOULD INVOLVE YOU IN THE DECISION-MAKING
You should be centrally involved in choosing the sleep strategies, because the more fully you are involved the more you can participate and the more likely you will be consistent and follow through with the sleep plan.
A GOOD SLEEP COACH ALSO PAYS TO YOUR FAMILY’S STRENGTHS AND WILL NOT SET YOU UP TO FAIL
This will build up your parental confidence. A good sleep coach should also attempt to help all family members both in their relationships with each other and also in terms of their actual sleep. Promoting and strengthening interfamilial relationships will boost everyone’s self-esteem and attachment and make success much more likely.
FAMILY CENTRED SLEEP COACHING SHOULD BE A PARTNERSHIP
A partnership of mutual respect between the professional and you, the parents but also of respect towards your child or children in the family. The sleep coach should attempt to develop a trust and rapport with not only you but your entire family.
A KEY COMPONENT OF FAMILY CENTRED CARE IS BEING ABLE TO INDIVIDUALISE THE SUPPORT
The sleep coach shouldn’t just deliver the same package of care to everybody. Any sleep plan should be able to be flexible and able to evolve as the family goes through the changes that they need to make with sleep.
THE SLEEP COACH SHOULD ACKNOWLEDGE AND VALUE YOUR RIGHT TO MAKE CHOICES
Your decision should be the final one. The sleep coach should ultimately respect the parenting style and not design a sleep plan that undermines or undervalues your feelings and wishes about how you raise your child.
See our plans for sleep support here
