Hello again wize mamas,
A few more thoughts on sleep.
 As a general rule of thumb, well-rested children awake on their own and in good spirits. If your child doesn’t get out of bed in the morning without a wake-up call, or awakes in an unpleasant mood, it’s a likely sign s/he is not getting adequate rest.
Television, video games, computers, and other entertainment devices can and usually do interfere with sleep patterns. I recommend limiting your child’s exposure to these devices, and avoiding them altogether during the several hours before bedtime.
Sometimes sleep eludes even the most tired of children. When the regular evening ritual – warm bath, short story and snuggles – doesn’t cut the mustard, I have a few tried and true strategies for helping a little one settle down. These are especially useful on those evenings when excitement and anticipation can keep us awake like, for instance, the night before the first day of school:
Massage: light, gentle massage of the tummy or feet can be very relaxing and seems to work most effectively right after a warm bath.
Warm tea or milk: for many years my son’s bedtime ritual included a lukewarm cup of chamomile tea. He would sip his tea while I read aloud. I highly recommend this lovely ritual even if your child doesn’t have difficulty settling down. You’ll be lucky to finish the story before your little one is snoozing…
Quietude: I am a big fan of homeopathy and I find Quietude to be an effective, safe, non habit forming remedy for sleeplessness. The remedy comes in a sweet-tasting little tablet that easily dissolves in the mouth. Most larger health food stores carry Boiron homeopathic remedies. Read more about it at http://www.boironusa.com/products/name.html
It’s easy for everyone to fall out of sync with healthy sleep patterns during the summer months, and it may take a week or two of consistent bedtime rituals to get things back into a steady routine. Healthy sleep habits develop through caring consistency.
What sleepy-time strategy works well for your children? Post a comment to join the conversation!
Given the right kind of support even the youngest child can learn to manage many aspects of life independently. My next post will focus on the topic of dressing for independence. Stay tuned!
Sweet Dreams.
Until next time,
Delila
 Hey Wize Mamas,
Have the first-day-of-school jitters hit your household yet?
As summer draws to a close, eager children and anxious parents anticipate the first day of school. Whether your child is starting preschool or heading off to kindergarten, the transition represents an important milestone for the child and the family.
Even with a few solid years teaching experience under my belt, I was not emotionally prepared for my son’s first day at Montessori preschool. I adored the classroom environment and the teacher I had carefully chosen for him; his classroom felt like a home away from home. Still, when the day came to leave my three year-old at the threshold of his first real experience away from me, I was devastated. I cried that morning and for many mornings after, grieving what I understood to be the first of many steps which would inevitably lead him further out into the world.
Parenthood is both joy and heartache, sometimes all at once. It seems like just yesterday we passed that first momentous milestone and now another quickly approaches; my son is heading off to high school in a few weeks. As I was pouring over my notes in preparation for fall Parent Orientation, I realized the timeliest tips are useful at any age.
Over the next few days I’ll be sharing what I feel are the most important things a parent can do to ease the transition to (or back to) school:
Preparing for a School: The Importance of Sleep
While the chronic effects of exhaustion are something to which many busy adults have become accustomed – hey, isn’t it about time for that mid-afternoon latte? – fatigue seriously affects both adults and children. Fussiness, irritability, and lack of attentiveness are symptoms of fatigue. Lack of sleep interferes with learning, affects social behavior, and creates an obstacle to success in school and life.
While most people may aim for eight hours of sleep per night, research cited in Newsweek* magazine recommended at least 10.5 hours of sleep for sixth grade children. Younger children, experts say, need even more sleep for optimal health and development! Research also indicates that when parents provide consistent sleep routines for the family, children are happier, more self-assured, less demanding and more sociable. Same benefits apply to adults, of course.
Experts offer the following tips for helping children get adequate, quality sleep:
- Set a regular time for bed each night and stick to it
- Establish a calm bedtime routine, such as a warm bath, followed by a short story
- Avoid big meals close to bedtime, and no caffeine within six hours of sleep
- Make evening play relaxing; avoid television before bed
- Create a quiet, dim, relaxing space for sleep. If necessary, use a small nightlight.
Family rituals around bedtime should be simple and calming. A warm bath, a short story, and little snuggle are all most children need to settle down for a restful night’s sleep. The same sort of routine works wonders for grown-ups too 
What is your favorite family ritual? Post a comment to join the conversation!
Until next time,
Delila
*Newsweek, Fall/Winter 2000
 Hey wize mamas,
The rains are here for a day or two and the buzz is all about water… but not rain water. The concern about the dangerous toxins present in tap and bottled waters continues to get louder. You’ve probably read the stories… it’s been all over the news. Many parents worry about whether it’s safe to let our kids drink from public drinking fountains, or if the toxins from those nasty plastic bottles will cause problems long term. These are real concerns.
Water is something I’ve been studying for the past 3 years and, believe me, the concern is real. There is no new water on the planet and all source water – whether from a mountain stream, a well or the tap – reveals chemical clues to global lifestyles. More then ten years ago, core samples taken from the polar ice cap revealed pharmaceutical residues. But nobody lives there! Right, but remember there is no new water. It’s all recycled and reused, naturally. What goes up, must come down…
So as parents we need to carefully consider what kind of water we consume and especially careful about what we offer our children. We need a way to filter out all the bad – the viruses, bacteria, pesticides, herbicides and pharmaceutical residues (ack!) – while protecting the minerals which are essential for our health. There is now a way to do this and it’s readily available to most of us.
Alkaline, Ionized water is made using electrolysis. A water ionizer cleans and filters regular tap water, and isolates the beneficial alkaline minerals to create a super-hydrating, super-antixioxidant, super-tasty water for you and your children.
The water ionizer mimics nature’s process to recreate the kind of water you can find in places like Vilcabamba, Equador and the Hunza in Pakistan. These are high mountain valleys where the native people routinely live healthy, purposeful lives well into their hundreds. Scientists have found that the mineral-rich, alkaline, ionized properties of the water they drink signficantly contributes to their longevity, which is why 1 in 5 households in Japan, and 1 in 8 households in Korea have an ionizer in their home.
The news about the health benefits of drinking ionized water is finally reaching us here in the west. I purchased my water ionizer for my home about two years ago and the benefits have been overwhelming positive for my family:
- My teenage son drinks many glasses of water a day – water is now his beverage of choice.
- My digestion, which has been a chronic challenge throughout my life, is healthy and normal. No more acid reflux.
- I sleep more soundly and awake more alert.
- My energy is increased.
- I crave this water – it tastes amazing and feels good in my body.
If you don’t have an ionizer at home or have access to someone who does, there are several local (to Portland) clinics and retail outlets selling alkaline, ionized water by the gallon – bring your own container or purchase one when you get there:
Groundspring Healing Center – SW Portland
Phone: (503) 244-1330 www.groundspring.net
The Center for Natural Medicine – SE Portland
Clinic phone: 503-232-1100 www.cnm-inc.com
Healthy Spaces – West Linn, OR
503-655-3565 www.healthyspacesonline.com
Miller’s Homestead Restaurant – Tualatin / Lake Oswego
17933 SW McEwan Ave. (at exit 290, off I-5) (503) 684-2831
If you would like to learn more about the properties and benefits of drinking Alkaline, Ionized Water: http://www.agelesswateronline.com Click on About Water.
What kind of water are you drinking? What are your concerns? Post a comment to join the conversation!
Until next time,
~Delila
 Welcome to MamaWize! I’m Delila Olsson, a mother, writer, speaker and consultant in the areas of education, parenting and health. I am also a Montessori educator with many years experience working with children and mentoring parents and caregivers.
The initial inspiration for my blog came about during a recent late-night chat with a group of women friends, as we were sitting around doing what women naturally do… discussing our families, sharing resources, and brainstorming solutions. I believe it really does take a village to raise a child and to nagivate the inevitable pitfalls of modern living.
This blog will feature articles and discussions on relevant topics such as common parenting questions and practices, educational philosophies, the pillars of health at every age, and strategies for managing the stress of daily life.
This is a place for real conversations about parenting and life in general, and a place where many diverse voices will join in and share. Thanks to Jen, Amy, Seana and Jeanne Mare for your encouragement to start blogging and to Dia, the wize mama who came up with the name!
What parenting topics are most important to you? Post a comment to join the conversation!
Welcome to our village.
Until next time,
~Delila
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