1-205 Webinar

Navigating ECE and Family Expectations about Children’s Sleep

Managing realistic sleep expectations between ECE and parents with sleep consultant and early childhood educator Alex Weehuizen.
Presented By Alex Weehuizen - First Five Years
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Sleep is one of the most important — and most contested — topics in early childhood education. You know the research. You know safe sleep standards. But parents come to your program with their own routines, recommendations from sleep consultants, and strongly held beliefs. What do you do when those worlds collide?

This webinar equips early childhood educators with evidence-based knowledge about infant and toddler sleep — and the communication skills to have honest, respectful conversations with families when expectations are hard to meet in an ECE setting.

Presented By

Alex Weehuizen - First Five Years

Webinar Duration

Approximately 70 minutes

Skill Level

Suitable for beginners to experienced teachers

What will you learn?

Key themes in this webinar include;

1. Research-based evidence for infant and toddler sleep

What the current evidence tells us about sleep needs, safe sleep environments, and developmental norms — and how to use that knowledge confidently in conversations with families.

2. Common sleep challenges at each stage

A developmental walkthrough of typical sleep patterns and common challenges for young infants, older infants, and toddlers — including what's normal, what's a concern, and what families often misunderstand.

3. When parent expectations are hard to implement in ECE

Some requests from families — whether driven by personal preference, cultural practice, or advice from a sleep consultant — create real tensions in group care settings. We'll explore the most common scenarios educators face, including:

  • Waking children after short sleep periods
  • Requests to prevent daytime sleep entirely
  • Co-sleeping arrangements at home affecting settling at care
  • Rocking or holding children to sleep in arms

4. Having the conversation — and knowing when to hold firm

Practical language and frameworks for discussing sleep with families in a way that is respectful, non-judgmental, and clear about what is and isn't possible in a group care environment — including how to document agreed approaches.

Ideal for infant/toddler teachers, family childcare providers, program directors, and coaches supporting ECE professionals.
Certificate of completion provided for your professional learning records

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About the presenters

Alex Weehuizen

Parenting Mentor + Educator

Alex is an experienced ECE teacher with over two decades of experience working alongside families. After working as a nanny for 5 years, she completed a Bachelor of Education (ECE) in 2008 and began work as a ECE teacher. After discovering a strong passion for supporting parents on their parenting journey, in 2020 she started working as a Parenting Mentor.

Alex is a certified Postpartum Doula and is a registered Circle of Security Parenting and Classroom Approach facilitator. She recently became a certified Motherhood Studies Practitioner and is fully trained as a Holistic Sleep Coach. In 2021, Alex started Precious Beginnings, a 10-week postpartum and parenting program, with over 200 parents completing the course.

Alex believes that nurturing tamariki in their early childhood experiences profoundly shapes the foundational aspects of their growth and development. Whether collaborating with kaiako or engaging with whānau, Alex highlights the significance of offering tamariki attuned, respectful, and responsive care.

What others said about this webinar:

It gave me more insight into children's sleep and gave me some tools i can use in practice and in conversations with parents. 
— RACHAEL
Alex is so helpful in providing practical skills in assisting the children who feel difficult to sleep in ECE group settings, for instance, sleep routine for the children adapting in the centre.
— SHELIA
So much of what was talked about happens daily in our room. Alex gave some really usefully strategies and advice on how to approach parents on ways that can work for everyone involved.
— PAIGE

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