Parent Coaching
Do you need one-on-one assistance with setting up a play area, establishing a sleep routine, or moving towards cooperative diaper changes? I have nearly a decade of experience in helping parents with the day-to-day big and little questions that arise when raising an infant or toddler. Book a private session to consult with me in person or via phone on the topic of your choice. Common topics include:
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understanding a young baby's cries and cues
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developmental norms for play and motor development
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beginning solid food or weaning from breastfeeding
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troubleshooting difficult diaper changes
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helping children deal with conflict and socialize with each other
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staying calm with testing toddlers
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establishing discipline in a kind yet effective way
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choosing a quality infant care situation
I also offer sleep consulting and nursery & playroom design.
Sleep Consulting
Getting enough sleep is vitally important for everyone in the family. Nothing impacts a child's development more than being cared for by a well-rested parent, so I am always happy to do consulting specifically about improving sleep routines.
While individual sleep plans are as varied as the families and babies they are designed for, my method lies somewhere between the two unsustainable extremes of "cry it out" and the type of attachment parenting where you are literally attached to your baby all day and all night. The former is unnecessary and more than most parents can bear to listen to. The latter is far too burdensome for parents and usually results in less high-quality sleep for everyone.
I prefer to help parents find a plan that encourages their baby to sleep independently. It is true that often beginning a new routine involves some amount of struggle, and sometimes that struggle can be very loud! However, we will work together to develop a plan that feels realistic and compassionate for everyone involved.
A sleep consult usually goes like this. First, we will spend some time discussing your current routines, including what works and what doesn't. I will give you feedback about where your child is on the developmental timeline of sleep so you know what is normal, what is likely to change on its own, and what areas are ready for growth. We will establish what your family's sleep needs are, and what you want sleep in your family to eventually look like. Together we will come up with a specific plan for how to get to your new routine.
Afterwards, I can do follow-ups as needed, but often families get all the information they need to revolutionize the family's sleep in one consult.
If you would like to read a book about sleep to get you started, here are a couple I recommend that I think are in alignment with Magda Gerber's Educaring® Approach:
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The Happy Sleeper - The sleep plans in this book are developmentally appropriate and will work for most families without the effort of designing your own plan from scratch. Don't feel bad about using a cookie-cutter approach. It's a surprisingly good strategy for the sleep deprived!
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The Compassionate Sleep Solution - This book is better for families that want to design their own sleep plan, or who want to rethink the way they respond to crying at night.
A thoughtfully designed nursery functions as a safe play space, an essential part of life with an infant or toddler.
If there is a safe place you can leave your child to play, your life opens up. You can get a drink of water, make lunch for your baby, or even go to the bathroom, all without worrying about your child getting into something unsafe or that simply isn’t theirs.
Not at all like a prison, a safe play space is a relief to the child. Imagine being in a foreign place where you don’t know any of the cultural rules, and every time you try to do something (like stand up, wear a hat, talk loudly, etc), someone tells you to stop! Adult-oriented rooms with exposed electrical cords and forbidden cupboards can feel like this for children. All those limits become exhausting for both of you. The play space is a special place where you can both relax, where you and your child can be free of the limits that must be a part of every other place they go.
I am partnering with my wife to offer a play space makeover service that will to help you both design and implement a beautiful, safe, and fun play space for your baby in your home.
Design with Christina
During the home visit, Christina will help you make a plan for creating a safe play space for your baby. Christina has helped many families design a Yes Space in their home that is both fun and functional, safe and beautiful. She specializes in helping families work with small spaces, as is so often necessary in this urban environment. Christina is a RIE® Associate who is well versed in how a safe play space for a baby can benefit the whole family.
Christina's rate for home visits is $150/hour with a $200 minimum.
Follow up consulting can be done over the phone for $100/hour with no minimum.
Implementation with Joe
If you would like help setting up a Yes Space, Joe is available for hands on assistance. With the eye of an artist and the practical skills of a handyman, Joe can install gates, mount shelves, build flatpack furniture, and help you get your play space ready for fun.
Unlike most handymen, Joe is familiar with the requirements for making a space safe for babies, and she is also adept at being respectful with your baby when visiting your home.
Joe's rate for play space installation is $50/hour with a $200 minimum.
Complete Nursery Package
You can make use of both of these services with a Complete Nursery Package. The package is designed to get you from zero to a play space in a short amount of time so you can start enjoying your new setup. The package includes:
1.5 hours of in-person design work with Christina ($200 value)
6 hours of installation work with Joe ($300 value)
For a total price of $425
Please note this doesn't include the price of gates, furniture, or hardware you may need.
Service Area
The green area on this map shows my service area for home visits. If you are outside this service area, there is a travel fee of $4/mile from Concord, CA.
Other options include a phone consult or reaching out to another RIE® professional in the Bay Area Infant & Toddler Network, as there is likely someone closer to you than me.