Bedtime for Devices

I was always one of those parents who had a bag full of “nevers.”  You know what I mean.  “I will never allow my child to…”  Fill in the blank. It’s so easy before you have children to say what you will never do.  And it’s just as easy when they are young to say what you will never do when they get older. Sure, some of my “nevers” I have stuck to.  But there have been a few I tossed to the side.  And in all honesty, at times it was a matter of not wanting to battle. One … Continue reading

Sleeping in Separate Beds: You’re Not Alone

Our culture believes that couples who sleep in separate beds are either experiencing or inviting problems in their marriage. Because I’m a light sleeper, I’m a firm believer that couples should be free to sleep separately if necessary. Jon and I almost always sleep together, but if one of us is restless we move to another bed, to keep that person from being woken up. I know that sleeping in the same bed improves intimacy. Once kids are part of the equation alone time between couples is scarce, and time in bed together, even if it’s just the process of … Continue reading

State Farm Has Tips to Avoid Bedbugs

When you take your family on vacation, you want to have fun, relax, and come home with photos of your trip. No one wants to think about the potential of coming home from the hotel with bedbugs infesting your clothing and luggage. State Farm has some tips on how to avoid this problem. You have probably heard the old saying “Sleep tight, don’t let the bedbugs bite!” Unfortunately, bedbugs are not something that disappeared along with the popularity of this particular saying. They are still out there, and could be infesting the hotel or motel that your family stays in … Continue reading

Bedroom Redo While Away at Camp

What does a mom do when her teen is away at camp? How about repainting their bedroom? Several years ago a mom (whose children are now grown) would share stories about her teens going to camp and how she would take advantage of the opportunity to repaint or redo their bedrooms. I always thought that was a good idea. So last week my daughter went to camp and I did just that, repainted her bedroom. Thankfully she had expressed interest in changing the darker colors that had been in her room to lighter ones. She even picked out the paint … Continue reading

Mapping Your Bedroom with Feng Shui

In my last blog, I introduced you to the ancient Chinese method of Feng Shui. I explained that it is supposed to help bring good health and balance to your life. The bedroom is the place where Feng Shui is mostly used. Of course, you can do this with any room. But as an example, we are going to be looking at how you map your bedroom with Feng Shui. One of the reasons why the bedroom is a popular room for this principle is because it helps to create that sanctuary we need. It is where we rest, sleep … Continue reading

Getting Enough Rest

When you are pregnant, it is important that you get plenty of sleep. After all, your body is working hard day and night to grow your baby, in addition to performing the other activities that you do every day. In a perfect world, once you became pregnant your schedule and list of obligations would adjust accordingly, providing you with plenty of time to sleep as much as you felt like sleeping. Unfortunately, that is not the case, but there are a few things that you can do to ensure that you get the rest that you need while you are … Continue reading

Saving Money When Shopping for a New Bed

It is time for my daughter to get a new bed. We spent on Saturday two weeks ago visiting a couple of stores and pricing out twin beds. The requirements for us were that the twin bed should be white, probably wood, have a headboard and a foot board, and be sturdy enough to carry her through until she leaves for college and maybe beyond. Going shopping online and in the retail stores was a real eye opener. We hadn’t shopped for a new bed for about eight or nine years. Since then, it seems, the quality has gone down … Continue reading

Bed Rest

If you are in your first trimester and feeling really tired, you may be secretly hoping that one day your prenatal care provider will tell you that you have got to take it easy, and will prescribe bed rest. As nice as it sounds, bed rest is not all that great – and not all that practical either, especially if you already have a little one running around the house. On average, one out of every five mothers will be prescribed bed rest during her pregnancy for any one of a number of reasons. Bed rest can mean anything from … Continue reading

Wrestling A Baby To Sleep

Last night, I certainly felt like I was in a wrestling match. Since we are currently co-sleeping (and not entirely by our choice, but more so our baby’s) it is always a little tricky with three people in the bed. But, this morning, I woke up feeling like I had literally been wrestling all night. That is not a good feeling! My five-month-old is as precious as it gets. He smiles all day long, even when sick, and has a great temperament these days, unlike those early ones. But, the nights are long. They are a battle. They are tough … Continue reading

Spring Cleaning the Bedroom – Part 5

When you walk into your bedroom, do you feel like you have entered a sanctuary? Or does it feel more like chaos, with stuff all over the place? Spring cleaning is the perfect opportunity to make your bedroom what it should be, a place that you can feel comfortable entering at the end of a long day. It should be a place where you can receive a good night’s rest. Clutter and chaos take away from that. As I have been sharing in my other spring cleaning blogs, the best way to tackle any room is to clear it out … Continue reading