Military Spouse Appreciation: Jen Zajac, Helping Your Child Sleep

Ahhh… sleep… as the mother of an eight month-old I’m /just starting/ to remember what it is. There are many things that can affect a child’s sleep pattern from infant to school age children. Today’s Featured Spouse knows all about sleep and wants to help you! Jen is an Air National Guard Spouse and we are so glad to call her a MilitaryAvenue Partner!

Your Name: Jen Zajac
Your Company Name: Helping Your Child Sleep

Quick description of your business: I provide customized consultations to parents of children who have difficulty falling or staying asleep. Consultations are customized to each individual family’s needs and tailored to the parent’s parenting style. A step-by-step plan is developed of how to implement appropriate routines and structure that will ensure that the child will get the right amount of sleep. Recommendations are provided to assist the child in developing the ability to fall asleep with a sense of security and comfort.

What is the best way to reach you?: The best way to reach me is through email at Jen@helpingyourchildsleep.com. Parents and families have busy lifestyles and I’ve found that email is generally the best way to provide consultation regarding sleep problems. I check and respond to emails throughout the day.

What Branch of Service did your spouse serve in and when: My husband currently serves as a F-15 pilot at Barnes Air National Guard Base in Westfield, MA. He has been in the military for 10 years.

What do you most enjoy about the military lifestyle and why? I enjoy meeting military families from across the country. I have also had amazing opportunities to travel with my husband on TDY deployments and I am grateful to have had that special time to share with my husband.

What lesson as a military-spouse have you gained that has helped you in the business-world? A successful military spouse needs to be independent and self-sufficient. Your spouse is not guaranteed to be there all the time and so one must always be prepared for that reality. There are no sick days when your spouse is deployed. As a military spouse and social worker, I understand the never-ending needs of other military families. My main goal is to help military parents help their children become as well-rested as possible.

What do you most enjoy about your line of work now? Helping parents find solutions to their children’s sleep problems is incredibly rewarding. Many parents contact me when they are extremely sleep-deprived and at their wit’s end, having tried everything to help their children get the they know their children need. After gathering more information, I provide the parent with a specific plan and include step-by-step instructions to help their children become well-rested, happy, and healthy kids. The results are usually clear within days. I can immediately sense the absolute relief the parent feels the first night everyone gets a solid stretch of sleep. It’s an unbelievably gratifying process to be a part of.

How does your company support the military family? It’s hard enough for two parents to get dinner on the table, get the kids into bath, read stories, and try to have lights out at a reasonable hour. Many times, military spouses have to do all of those things by themselves, and especially during their spouse’s long deployments, exhausted military spouses can get overwhelmed by all of these tasks quickly. I provide support to these spouses to help them prioritize tasks and get a solid routine in place so that the children know what to expect each night and things don’t get out of control. I’m also aware of the impact of these tight economic times on military families and so I’m proud to offer a military discount on all of my consultation services.

If you could send a message of encouragement to all of our military spouses what would you tell them? Don’t be afraid to ask for help! There are many people out there who know who would gladly offer assistance if only they knew what kind of help you could use. Ask the neighbor next door to help you take out the trash or fix that broken fence post. You might be surprised about how generous people can be.

Any last thoughts to share? Sleep is as important to the body as food. Sleep is fuel for the brain and body. If we don’t get enough, our body, brain, and emotions pay the price. If you, as an adult, are exhausted after waking up all night long with your children, think of how tired your children must feel! Don’t spend another sleepless night thinking things will magically improve on their own. Learn the tools now to help your child sleep so that your whole family can be well-rested!

Learn more about Jen and ‘Helping Your Child Sleep’ by heading to MilitaryAvenue: Partner Ad

Want to learn more about our Spotlight on the Military Spouse? Military Spouse Appreciation Day 2011 – Spotlight MilitaryAvenue Partners

Want to learn more about becoming a MilitaryAvenue Partner? http://www.militaryavenue.com/ListWithUs.aspxPosted byLeanne KocsisonThursday, May 05, 2011 Labels:Military Spouse Appreciation Day,Military Spouse Spotlight