Kids Keeping You Up at Night? Consider Checking Out Tender Transitions

When children have trouble sleeping, some have been turning to Maple Grove business owner Leann Latus.

“Bedtime had become such a stressful time for all of us, and we had lost all grace and patience with Sawyer when it came to middle of the night interactions,” said South Minneapolis mother Alissa Fountain.

Children’s sleep challenges were recurring themes Latus heard as the owner of Tender Transitions. And, an issue she experienced firsthand as a parent. As a result, the Maple Grove business owner decided to become a licensed sleep consultant through the Sleep Sense Program.

Latus said she turned to the Sleep Sense Program when her toddler was waking up three to five times a night, having ruled out any medical causes.  

“It was difficult at bedtime,” she said.

“I really became a believer in the approach,” she said of the Sleep Sense Program

Minneapolis mother Kate Loe turned to Tender Transitions after her14-month-old daughter had not slept through the night and couldn’t go to sleep on her own.

“It had gotten so bad, no one was sleeping,” Kate Loe said. “It was affecting our entire family.”

Loe said she was “a little skeptical” about trying a sleep program but “willing to try anything.”

During her one-on-one consultation process with families, Latus says she does a primary evaluation with parents about routines and sleep habits, has a private consultation to talk strategies and challenges and prepares a sleep plan for the child. Once a sleep plan has been established, Latus provides follow-up support for parents and suggesting plan modifications, if needed.

After the first few nights of implementing the sleep plan Latus has prepared for the family, Loe said there were “measureable results.”

"She [daughter] figured sleeping out,” Loe said.

Three-year-old Sawyer in the south Minneapolis household of Alissa Fountain and Aaron Hagebak was having sleep issues when the family found Latus.

“In order to get him to fall asleep in his own bed (and own bedroom) one of us would need to sit in the bedroom with him until he fell asleep,” Fountain said. “Most nights, we would be sitting in there for at least an hour before he fell asleep, and then he would only stay asleep for an hour before waking and wanting to come in our bed.”

Not only did it take Sawyer a long time to fall asleep, according to Fountain, he would wake up multiple times through the night.

“From the beginning of our working relationship, Leann was very professional and warm. She listened to our experience with Sawyer and gave us a detailed and logical plan to address his sleep needs,” Fountain said.

After a few challenging first nights, she said Sawyer has started sleeping through the night.

“We are still floored by how smoothly Sawyer's sleep plan went,” Fountain said. “He goes to sleep on his own and sleeps through the entire night in his own bed. One of the best parts is watching how proud he is of his own success- he shares it with anyone who will listen!”

Both parents say the accountability and follow-up by Latus helped for a smoother sleep transition for their children.

“It gave me accountability – almost like a personal trainer,” Loe said.

"We needed that accountability and support to help us make this adjustment to our routines, and it's absolutely changed the dynamic in our household,” Fountain commented.

More information about Maple Grove-based Tender Transitions private sleep consulting and a free download of  “The Five Steps to Getting Your Child to Sleep Through the Night” visit the Tender Transitions website.