Losing
Sleep?
Try a little couch time
Is your child waking you up in the middle of the night?
Try a little couch time.
When you get home from work, do you pat your spouse
on the head and kiss your child? Try reversing it. Kiss
your spouse and pat your child. Then try a little couch
time. With your children in the room, sit down on the
couch with your spouse and spend 15 minutes visiting
about your day. It will give you time to catch up and
have a united front to meet the needs of your children.
If your child interrupts, tell him, "Please, no
unnecessary interruptions; Mommy and Daddy are visiting.
I'll talk to you in a few minutes. Not now, Mommy comes
first."
The first couple of times he will probably throw a
fit. He is used to your undivided attention when you get
home. Don't worry; he'll get over it; and soon he will
learn to play during your couch time.
What's the point? Your child's most important need is
the security of your relationship. She needs to be
certain of the fact that you love each other and that
you will both be there for her. Couch time is a visible
demonstration that you love your spouse and that your
marriage is a priority.
Try couch time for two weeks and see if your little
one starts sleeping again. Even if he doesn't, you will
have gotten into the habit of giving your spouse your
undivided attention for at 15 minutes a day — quite a
worthy goal in and of itself.
For more information on couch time, check out On
Becoming Baby Wise Book Two by Gary Ezzo and Robert
Bucknam.
Jim Lewis
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