New Year's Resolutions as Parents

2014 is almost here. What are your new year's resolutions? What do you want to do in the new year as parents? If you have plans for 2014, I do urge you to write it down so that you remember and be more committed to achieving those goals.

As a parenting coach, I hope I can reach out to more parents who are having some tough challenges with their children. I hope that parents who have yet to get a good night sleep, will be able to do so through proper sleep training for their kids. If your kids are misbehaving and you are at your wit's end, then I hope you will find someone to talk to about it. Parenting is a tough journey. You shouldn't need to do it alone.

Personally as a parent, I hope to spend more one on one time with my kids. It's called the mind, body and soul time. Spending time with our kids builds emotional connections, reduce misbehaviours and kids become more willing to cooperate. Try it out 10 minutes a day with your child and see the difference.

Here's to a blessed and wonderful 2014 to all parents out there. A happy and healthy family begins at home with you.

Christmas is coming...

Well Christmas is just around the corner and I am already in the mood for Christmas singing my favourite Christmas carols and all. Christmas is not just a time for shopping and exchanging gifts but it's also an important time where we remember that Jesus our saviour was born. Christmas is a time for forgiveness, we forgive and forget about the hurt and move on with a fresh new hope. I hope you will find time this Christmas to spend time with your loved ones, your family and children whom you love so dear and enjoy building wonderful memories together. Merry Christmas everyone and have a blessed new year!

Are your kids still waking up every night?

Since I started this business, I have been in discussion with a few parents and I found out that their kids are still waking up in the middle of the night asking for milk or needing their parents to be there with them. While I do respect the parents for their sacrifices and being able to cope with not having a good night sleep, I do symphatize with their struggles to get their children to sleep through the night. I believe you can get your child to sleep through the night with some training. It may not be easy in the short run (as there would be some resistance as you would expect with any changes) but in the long run, you will be so thankful that you started them young so that you and your child could have that good night sleep that you both equally deserved. Here's to a good night sleep in 2014! Give me a call or email me to see how I can help. 

Parenting talk on teenage self confidence

Last Saturday, I gave a parenting talk on how parents can help develop confidence in teenagers during a secondary school's Open Day. I was really excited to share my passion for parenting with other parents out there and to empower them in their lifelong journey of parenthood. I emphasised to the parents that we are not raising children but we ARE RAISING ADULTS.  That's right, as parents we have to give our teenagers the opportunity to grow and make their own decisions. We are there to guide them but ultimately, they need to choose their own paths. If as parents, we keep treating them like a little child, they will never learn to be independent and grow up confidently into their adulthood. It's important that we help them instil self confidence as this is a crucial life skill.

Special Discount - My birthday month

To all my lovely readers and parents out there, this month I am celebrating my birthday and I am always a firm believer that to give is better than to receive. As such, I would like to give you a special birthday discount should you decide to engage in my services.

Wish me 'HAPPY BIRTHDAY' and you will be entitled to 30% discount on all my sleep and parenting services.

Why sleep is so important to you as parents?

Are you at your wit's end and do not know what to do about your sleep situation? Or more specifically are you pulling your hair out wondering how to get your baby to sleep so you too can have a restful night? Are you feeling isolated and frustrated? Well the truth is you are not alone. Millions of parents around the world are experiencing sleep issues with their children.

You Need Sleep

Let me be clear with you. You aren't superheroes. You're human. And humans like you and I need our sleep to function well. Here's what prolonged lack of sleep can do to you:

• Forgetfulness - you forgot where you parked the car, did you remember to lock the door
• Depressed - you have emotional crying spells, overwhelmed and possibly even feeling resentful towards your child
• Trapped - you feel unable to leave your child, unable to put your baby down. You have not been out to enjoy a special night out with your husband or your friends. You feel isolated and alone and no one seems to understand what you are going through
• Low Confidence - you regularly feel like you don't know what to do, you get confused by things you have read on the Internet. You are overwhelmed by fear and anxiety.
• Short-fused - your temper flared up easily, you can't control your anger
• Relationship issues - you feel as though there is a wedge between you and your husband, you don't agree on anything anymore

It's hard to be effective as parents if you are exhausted. I was once in your situation. I felt like a zombie not having any sleep at all during the night. But once I managed to sleep train my children, everything changed for the better. You will see a huge difference in your confidence and your outlook once you can sleep train your child well so you too can get that much needed sleep.

Why Kids Need Routine (even babies)

When my twins came into my world, I didn't know what to expect. My life was turned upside down as all of a sudden, I have these two tiny little angels, looking to me, depending on me to care for them 24/7. I knew I have to establish a routine in order for me to get both babies feeding and sleeping at the same time.

So why do our children or our babies need a routine? 

Because routines give them a sense of security and it would help them develop self-discipline. Yes even babies need routine so that they feel secured knowing what to expect next. Some of you may think, I don't have a routine, why should my kids have a routine? Well, even when you think your life doesn't have a routine, you actually do. You wake up, brush your teeth and have your breakfast every morning. That's a routine on its own.

• Routines help kids learn to be independent - Over time, kids learn to feed themselves, shower themselves etc without constant reminders. Kids love being in charge and feeling that they are capable. Kids who feel more independent and be in charge feel less need to be rebellious and misbehaved thus eliminating the power struggles between them and their parents.
• Routines help kids to cooperate as they know what to expect next and don't feel like they have been pushed around
• Regular routines help kids to be on a daily schedule that would help achieve a good sleeping habit and fall asleep easily at night.
• Schedules help parents maintain a healthy expectations for everyone in the family and develop healthy habits in order to run a smooth household.

If you want to get your kids on a routine, don't delay anymore.  The sooner you start, the earlier they will get on board with the idea of routines in their life.

Does your child sleep early?

When I came back to Asia, I still remember how shocked I was to see babies and little toddlers still awake past 10pm at supermarkets, restaurants and malls. Some parents even bring their little children to watch late night movies at the cinemas!

I often wondered, "What time do they sleep? Don't their parents mind about it? In the western countries, this is almost unheard of as children go to bed early and this is common practice among all families. Living in Asia has not changed my routine for my children, my little toddler goes to bed at 8pm every night while my 7 years olds sleep at 9pm.

Some of you may ask, there is no harm for my child to sleep later, right? 

Your babies and children need ample amount of sleep everyday for their general well being. Just like adults, they need enough rest to function properly physically and mentally during the day. Lack of sleep caused them to be cranky, overtired and feeling lethargic.

How much sleep do our children need?
Babies need about 14-16 hours of sleep. Kindergarteners need about 10-12.5 hours of sleep each night with naps declining and disappearing usually by the age of 5. Primary school aged kids need 9.5-11.5 hours of sleep per night.

By fixing enough sleep and rhythm in your children's life, the children's yet-to-be-developed body will grow healthily and makes them more alert. The children's life rhythm start to develop from the age of 4 months and complete by the age of 5~6 years old. Babies and children are not able to adjust their life's rhythm on their own, only we parents can help them do that. That is why it is so important to get your children on a good sleep routine.

If you are concern about your children's physical, brain and emotional growth development, please review their sleeping habits first. No amount of enrichment classes or tuitions will help your child's development if they are not getting enough sleep. Good sleeping habits is the key to their physical and mental development.

Welcome to Singapore's Supernanny

Hi there! If you have googled supernanny and stumbled upon my blog, then you must be experiencing some issues with your child and in need of some help.

Then you have come to the right place.

Are you experiencing 

• Sleep/bedtime issues
• Tantrums
• Behavioural problems

and other problems with your child and you are at a loss of what to do? 

My name is Zoe Chu and I am a parenting coach. I am a mother of 3 including a set of twins. My specialty is in sleep training and I have successfully trained all my children to sleep through the night from 10 weeks onward. My clients have often seek advice and tips on how to establish a routine for their kids.

If you are sleep deprived, irritated, frustrated and would like some 'me' time again, then please give me a call.

I can come to your house or consult through Skype, phone or email and observe/assess your issues and come up with a strategy to help you resolve them.