We dearly love our 2 dogs BUT we made a huge mistake right from the get-go with our cockapoo, Casey Jones. 

We allowed him to sleep on our bed!! No, wait, my husband allowed him to sleep on the bed.  I would give him the boot by telling him to get down and my husband would gently pat his side of the bed inviting him back up where he would remain for the rest of the night.  It was all very funny at the time but it has turned into anything but funny with the end result being sleep deprivation.

Rather than remaining in one spot he migrates to all parts of the bed throughout the night.  I have woken up to find him lying right beside me with his head on my pillow snoring gently.  I have woken up to find him pressed against my legs so I can’t move.  I have woken up cold and shivering with no covers because he has plunked himself down in a way as to steal the covers.  I have woken up practically falling off the side of the bed because he has taken all the room.  It’s been 11 years and these wake-up sessions, resulting in sleep deprivation, have been happening at all hours of the night.

Kick him off and make him sleep somewhere else you say?  Can you teach old dogs new tricks?  We are long past the stage of wanting to go through with the hassle of having him bark, cry and scratch doors while he re-learns a new habit so in the end it is our own fault if we are suffering.  Dog lovers will understand this lame excuse.

Despite the obvious dog-rearing errors in allowing him on the pillow while I am left clinging to the edge and allowing him to take positions of authority by sprawling out and  taking up our space as well as destroying our own standing as pack leader, my point is the sleep deprivation.

This is one of the biggest problems with people not getting enough sleep.  Even having your dog in your bedroom can keep you awake at night.  Dogs will:

• Snore;
• Get up and shake;
• Moan;
• Whimper;
• Have nightmares;
• Wander around the room.

If you get a new pet NEVER let them sleep with you during the night on your bed.  As comforting as it may seem at first it can become detrimental to your health in the form of sleep deprivation.

If you already have this problem, then ensure you do not allow your dog to challenge you for positions of authority.  If he is stretched out in luxury, in your space, then demote him right on back to the foot of the bed or if you are brave and have the patience then right off the bed onto the floor.

Our pet sleeping in our bed with us during the night is only one of many reasons for sleep deprivation.  Sometimes it can be very beneficial to have a little help with an herbal formula.  Fido might not need it but sometimes we do.

Tags: awake at night, not getting enough sleep, sleep deprivation

Life is quite stressful when you have to deal with a picky eater at home. Daily you stand in your kitchen wondering what to prepare and if they will eat it. The power battles during meal times are driving you one step close to the grave too. Having little children that are picky eaters is not unusual. Many parents are in the same boat. I’ve been told that the fussiness over food will disappear when the children get older. But waiting it out isn’t really going to help you now. So, here are some tips to overcome their pickiness:

1. Let them plan meals and go grocery shopping with you. If you give them the chance to write the dinner menu, you increase the likelihood that they will eat it.

2. Be careful of the snacks they eat before meals. You can’t blame them if they say no to meals when they just had a snack to filled them up. Apart from the snacks, limit the drinks too. Don’t underestimate the filling power of juice and milk.

3. Avoid giving them too much at the first serving. Give smaller portions and if they can eat more, let them have seconds. Doing so, you create opportunities for them to finish their meal and they feel good when they do so.

4. Employ their little hands to prepare the food. The fact that they helped to cook it, motivates them to want to eat it. For instance, while preparing dinner, I persuaded my daughter who is 7 years old to help me chop up the broccoli and cauliflower. What do you reckon happened next? She eagerly put them on her plate and finished it and we’re talking about a girl who straight out refused them before.

5. Present to them 2 types of foods to choose. Make them feel the decision is in their hands. You should say “do you want pasta or sandwich”, “fruit salad or vegetable salad” etc….

6. Learn to make snacks that are nutritional. Fruits and vegetables are ideal. Prepare them as finger foods like carrot sticks and dip.

7. Bring to their attention what foods other children are eating, more so what their friends are eating. Do you notice that your children are always more interested in eating other people’s food then yours? Their friends could be eating something they’ve never had before but they are willing to try. Maybe you should consider inviting your children’s friends over more often. If you do this, make a pact with the parents first that only healthy food will be served.

8. Sometimes it’s not the taste that is the problem but rather the texture of the food. If this is the case, prepare the food in a different way; like making bananas into a smoothie, or sneak in carrots into your muffins.

9. Labeling them as a picker eater can be detrimental. Hearing you make a big deal of it all the time may encourage them to play out the role.

10. Decide that you will not cook them a separate meal. Yes, you suggest a choice of foods to them but it’s not something different from the family menu. If you give in to their demands, you’ll never get them to expand their list of like-able foods.

Dealing with picky eaters requires much patience. It may prove to be a difficult challenge but you must strive to keep meal times a happy time. Talk to the children about meal time rules and enforce them consistently. One thing that will also help is to search out easy recipes for picky eaters. It definitely helps to get a little creative in preparing meals.

Tags: children, home, kids, Parenting, picky eater, picky eaters