Let's drop the negatives and emphasize the positives. Your baby is 'Spirited'.
Alert, intense and struggles to sleep, your baby is 'Spirited'.
The breakthrough guide to thriving with your 'Spirited' baby. Order Today!
Is Your Baby High Needs, Fussy or Spirited?
Search the internet for “signs” of a high needs/fussy baby you’ll discover a list of descriptors like, difficult, shrieks, hyperactive, demanding, exhausting, unsatisfied, not a self-soother, and awakens frequently. While there may be an element of truth in these terms, rather than helpful, they can leave you feeling more alone and discouraged than ever.
That’s why I coined the term spirited baby and developed the Spirited Baby Method described in my book Raising Your Spirited Baby. Fifteen years in development the Spirited Baby Method pulls our focus to the strengths of these alert, perceptive infants and addresses their inborn temperament and highly sensitive arousal system. Research documents that given the care they need these babies not only develop normally and happily but often excel.
Click the image above to review the table of contents for Raising Your Spirited Baby.
Take a look at the positive comments we've received from pediatricians and other authors.
A breakthrough guide to thriving when your baby is alert, intense and struggles to sleep.
"New, fully updated fourth edition! After over three decades helping families just like yours, I am able to give you the most empowering tools ever."
-Dr. Mary
Every week we post parenting tips on either our Facebook page or our blog. Check out the latest tips on children's sleep, tantrums, power struggles, discipline, child development, temperament, spirited children and keeping your cool when your child is losing theirs. We're always open for more suggestions, so feel free to send them our way using our Contact page.
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Read MoreIn addition, Facebook has a group page started by and for the parents of "Spirited Children". The group is a closed group (but still accepting new members) where parents look for advice and support from other parents. Feel free to check it out using the link below.
Dr. Mary has helped hundreds of families just like yours. She provides private consultations on both infant and child behavior and sleep issues. A one-hour personal session, via phone or Zoom, gives your family an opportunity to discuss the specific issues you are facing. You will work directly with Dr. Mary to develop a targeted plan that works for your family. Within 24 hours you will receive a written summary of your discussion and your plan. If you have ever been told or considered your baby to be "fussy" or "high need", Dr. Mary can help you.
"In just one hour on the phone, we were able to gain an entirely new perspective on the issues we were having. You gave us real tools and ideas that we could apply immediately." -Jason
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For over 35 years Dr. Mary has provided parenting workshops and keynotes throughout the world. She has a large number of offerings and customizes or creates each session so that it meets the specifics needs of her audience. Dr. Mary’s speaking style brings audiences to life as they laugh and learn the essentials for effective parenting.
“Mary, I am so appreciative of how you customized your information and remarks to our audience. You brought important information to the group with humor and poise. The audience was mesmerized and we got excellent feedback.” -Merri
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Being cooperative and successful is a combination of having the skill and having the will. Since Anna has dressed herself in the past and usually does so with little to no prompting when she “can’t dress herself” it’s pretty obvious she’s lacking the will. The question of course is why?
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How do you respond when your child refuses to go upstairs by himself, cries if you attempt to leave him before he’s asleep at bedtime, or doesn’t want to go to an activity you know he will love once he gets there? When a child is experiencing anxiety, he demonstrates it in his behavior. Often that behavior is a vehement protest, but sometimes, it is a complete “shut down,” in which he is incapable of doing things he could do just yesterday. No matter which response, it is tempting to simply avoid the difficult situation, but anxiety increases when situations are avoided. Instead, it is important to gently nudge your child forward, empowering and supporting him to take on this challenge. Your words and actions make a difference.
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“Pick up your shoes.” “Clean your room.” “Put away your toys.” “Set the table.” Whenever, these directives cross your mind, odds are an internal battle begins.
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