My Little Sleepy Son,
Now that you're three-and-a-half months old, it's time for you to start learning how to soothe yourself to sleep. This isn't just so mommy doesn't have to bounce you in her arms for over a half hour to get you to fall asleep. Trust me, as much as I pray to God for you to just close your eyes, I don't mind holding on to you just a few minutes longer when you're sound asleep in my arms. This is about you learning an important skill that you'll need for the rest of your life.
You need to learn how to put yourself to sleep, to know that you have the strategies to calm yourself down when you're upset, and that you don't always need me. It's the start to being able to regulate your own emotions. And ultimately, according to some theorists, being a more complete individual, who is led more by convictions than the emotional climate of a situation. It seems a whole lot rides on putting yourself to sleep, doesn't it?
Already, though, I know you're led by your own convictions - you're strongly convinced you will not fall asleep on your own! We're starting the baby (no pun intended) steps to this process. I've been trying to put you down in the swing, in hopes that it will lull you to sleep on your own. Twice I've had to shake the swing repeatedly until you've fallen asleep...and this previous time, after a 15 minute battle of the wills, I finally put you back in my arms.
You may have won this battle, my little munchkin. But, I promise you, I will win the war. I've got 6 more weeks of summer vacation to get this mastered.
Tomorrow's a brand new day.
Love,
Your just-as-sleepy Mommy
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