Charitable organisation caring for the poor of any race or religion
St.Catherine’s Agapi Cyprus offer services for the support, welfare and human rights to the disadvantaged and cooperate with other persons or organisations promoting similar objectives.
Promoting integral human development, social justice, and sustainable social systems
Kinonia Caritas Cyprus was originally founded to provide support to Cypriot refugees fleeing the North during the Turkish invasion of Cyprus in 1974 as well as to refugees from the Lebanese Civil War. In 1986 it was officially registered as an association and continued offering its services for several years.
NGO charitable foundation for those in of socio-economic aid
The mission of KEPAKY is to give a helping hand to people in need and to promote the values of solidarity, love, giving and volunteering. KEPAKY aims at improving in practice the quality of life of people in need, and especially of young people, for them to find their position in society.
Working to secure the rights of Autistic people in order to ensure a better quality of life
The main purpose of the Cyprus Autism Association aims to guarantee the right, lifelong, for access to education and treatments that autistic people are in need of. The Association has been working with great success since May 2004 in Limassol, the first specialized intervention center for rehabilitation, training, treatment, protection and employment for children and adults with autism syndrome.
Attention Deficit Disorders/Hyperactive Disorders’ organization
The “ADD-ADHD Cyprus” is a voluntary organization, supporting people with Attention Deficit Disorder with/without Hyperactivity (ADD/ ADHD) and their families. Members include parents, teachers, doctors, and specialists. The organization’s mission is “To improve the lives of all those affected by AD/HD by offering support, information, education and advocacy” with the vision of “An Empowered and Integra ted AD/HD Community”.
A charity providing emotional support via a telephone helpline
Cyprus Samaritans’ mission is to provide confidential emotional support to those who are feeling distressed, lonely or unable to cope, who would like someone to listen to them without being critical or judgemental. Cyprus Samaritans was established in 1997 and is affiliated to the International Network of Befrienders Worldwide, which operates in 38 countries over 6 continents.
Charity for improving children’s psychological health and well-being
The Dr. Yiota Demetriou The Dancing Queen Foundation was founded by friends and family and is a loving tribute to Dr. Yiota Demetriou whose ambition to help children, in the field of child psychology, was cut short due to a tragic accident in November 2008. The accident was a result of a drunk driver.
Cyprus Association “One Dream One Wish” (make a wish) for cancer-afflicted children
The Association was founded in 1997 by a group of parents of children suffering from cancer, leukaemia and other blood diseases. It focuses its activities on three main pillars: the fulfilment of the best wishes of the cancer-afflicted children, the economic support of their families and the psychological support of the children and members of their immediate environment.
International Parental Child Abduction Assistance
Pegasus Child Recovery are specialists in International Parental Child Abduction cases and they pride themselves on their expertise, professionalism and ability to obtain results. They operate internationally to resolve all parental abduction cases, and have specialist operatives that can deploy at short notice for the recovery of a child or children.
It first caught my attention last year around mid-December, by which time the advent season was already well underway. A simple, yet wonderfully generous idea of thinking differently about a tradition, the reverse advent calendar suggests giving instead of receiving a daily gift, and we are definitely on board this year!
In today’s navel-gazing world, we always welcome ways to teach our children to look outward and share. Putting aside a donation every day so that there is a collection of items to hand over to a charity at Christmas is such a great concept, especially if our children participate in the handing-over part and see the smiles such a gesture will bring. Then we know we have not only helped people in need, but also planted a firm seed in the minds of our children that they, too, can make a difference in the lives of others.
Not sure how to go about creating your personal reverse advent calendar? Follow our simple brainstorm map – in no particular order – and get inspired!
On Christmas Day, when you’re sitting around the table with your family and enjoying your meal, spend some time talking about the great deed that you have done by adopting this new tradition!
Encourage a conversation where you all share the reasons to be grateful to not just Receive this Christmas, but also to be able to Give.
Happy Adventing!
I am not a marriage counsellor, nor do I pretend to be, but every day I receive emails from parents all over the world telling me how I have saved their marriage.
How could I, a sleep consultant, do that? Let me tell you all about it.
These letters of thanks come mainly from mothers, sometimes from fathers, who say they were spending no time together, were fighting all night, felt emotionally drained and were absolutely at the end of their tethers. The common theme in all of these letters that seemed to be at the root of all their martial angst was: a lack of SLEEP.
“How can lack of sleep be ruining a marriage?” You may ask? The question I would like to ask is: Why is no one talking about this?
We all know that marriage takes work, and lots of it. To feel happy in our relationships we need to feel supported and nurtured. We need to make time to connect on every level, from the emotional to the physical. We also know how quickly we can start to disconnect from our spouse in certain circumstances. Sadly, this disconnection can start chipping away at the very foundations of our marriage until there doesn’t seem to be much left to fight for.
Sadly, recent studies about marriage have shown that the average marriage lasts eight years before ending in divorce. During this time, couples often experience many stressful events that can put a strain on marriage. They may move to larger houses, take on more debt, start new careers and, of course… HAVE CHILDREN! Add months or years of interrupted sleep to all this and you have a recipe for disaster!
Often during my seminars and consultations I ask parents (mostly 95% mothers attend these) how they feel when they are tired. The responses are usually similar. They feel grumpy, depressed & emotional. They overreact, they argue, they don’t eat properly. Mothers feel overwhelmed by the demands from their children and spouses. They feel burnt out, helpless and scatter-brained. One mother shared with me that she was so exhausted one morning that she actually put the toaster in the fridge & didn’t notice until she went to make toast the next day!
Dealing with a baby or toddler several times in the night often leads to feelings of resentment for mothers, not necessarily towards their children but more towards their spouse. One mother said, “I don’t get angry at the baby, but I sure let my husband have it the minute he walks in the door!”. At 3am, arguments often ensue about whose job is more important the next day. Yes, dad may have to work, but stay-at-home mothers have to get up and deal with children all day, which is definitely an equally demanding profession. And many women working full time may also end up also managing the household and majority of childcare. One mother told me that after the sixth wake-up one night, she walked into her husband’s “bedroom” and screamed at the top of her lungs that he should get out of bed and deal with his child or she was moving out!
To be fair to fathers, they don’t always know how they can help. It’s a helpless and frustrating feeling for many fathers to try repeatedly to put their children to sleep only to fail time and time again. Often the mother will eventually walk into the room and take over once she sees that her partner is unsuccessful, which only leads to more frustration for both parties.
I regularly see couples (and in fact did this myself with my first 2 children 20 years ago) sharing their beds with their children. Not by choice, but out of sheer desperation. I call this “co-sleeping out of necessity,” meaning that co-sleeping was not necessarily their first choice but it seemed like it was the only way anyone could get more than a few hours of rest. What this often leads to is mum and baby in one bed and dad in another. One couple I saw had not shared a bed in eight years! One parent slept with the older child, while the other slept with the younger. Tell me how that can be good for a marriage!
There is no denying that sharing a bed with your spouse is a crucial ingredient to a healthy relationship. Not just for sex, but for that deep intimacy that comes in the night when you reach out for your partner and they are there. It’s the pillow talk you have before falling asleep that can be the one time of day that couples can share their thoughts, feelings and dreams. Even if it’s just to talk about the cute things the children did that day, it’s still a connection. That is pretty hard to do when there is a sleeping baby in someone’s arms. The mere thought of accidentally walking that baby that you just took an hour of rocking to get to sleep so scares most parents that they wouldn’t even dream of striking up a conversation. Then there is the constant movement and restlessness of most children that usually drives one parent from the bed somewhere in the night. Even if it means sleeping in the toddler bed, it’s usually a preferred option to the having a tiny foot in your face all night.
Do all this for months, even years and it’ s no surprise that a marriage would start to disintegrate fast. In my opinion one of the most important things I can give to my children, besides a good night’s sleep, is a healthy and well-functioning marriage. I want them to see how couples who love each other act towards one another. I want them to see that we make time for each other and nurture the relationships that matter the most to us. They need to see how all family members’ needs are important, not just their own.
I want them to see all this, so they will go out into the world and find these things for themselves and eventually model the same for their children. But I can’t do this if I am exhausted. I can’t do this if the only thing I care about at the end of the day is going to sleep for a few hours. I can’t do this if my children are by my side twenty-four hours a day. I can’t do this if I resent my husband because he won’t or can’t help me in the night. I can’t do this if every day the only thing I can think about is getting my children to sleep more.
The real challenge is that the issue is simply not being discussed! Couples are ashamed that their marriages are falling apart for no better reason than a simple lack of sleep. I deeply and passionately believe that by shining a spotlight on this issue we can make a dramatic and important difference in the lives of millions of people.
As you can see, it’s not just a matter of “wanting to get a better night’s sleep”; the issues go much deeper than that. It’s about creating a healthy and nurturing environment for each and every family member. It’s about feeling better about your job as a parent and about having extra energy and time to stay connected to yourself and your spouse.
No one could live on a diet of only bread and water. You might be able to do it for a few weeks, maybe even months if you were really committed, but eventually you are going to start to feel depleted, resentful, unhealthy, and bored. The same can be said for telling a parent that their sleepless nights are just something that they have to “just live with.” How can that be the best thing for a baby? How can a mother /father live their best life on a diet of bread & water?
It is for this reason that I know that the career choice I have made in my commitment to sleep and in helping families be the best they can be has been one of the most rewarding decisions of my life. I have lost count of the number of mothers who tell me how thankful they are for my guidance and support… how she could never have done this without me… how it has changed her entire life and how it has given her back herself and her back time with her partner. It’s always so wonderful to hear how something so seemingly “small” as getting a restful sleep night after night has had such a profound impact on their overall happiness.
I know personally how much a difference it can make to the family. I know that this program works not only by promoting good sleep which in turn ensures child and baby development is exactly where it’s supposed to be but also ensures that the family environment is surrounded by love & nurturing 24/7 providing their children with a secure and stable environment that they need to thrive. At the end of the day that is what every parent wishes for more than anything else; a thriving stable loved child surrounded by love which it sees and feels daily.
I can help your family reach this place. Through my own personal story I can relate completely to where you are right now and I know that an improved sleep solution can help remove a lot of the strain that is felt by everyone. When this is resolved, the feeling of darkness and resentment is turned in one of love and passion for each other and it’s the best feeling in the world to watch those you love blossom in front of you.
For your own family, I am offering a FREE 15 minute sleep evaluation call where we can discuss in further detail how I can help your family stop the rot of sleepless night killing your marriage and allow your love for each other bloom again. To book your call please click on the link below which will take you to my online availability calendar to allow us to start chatting about your own personal story and how I can help you with your family’s sleep.
https://my.timetrade.com/book/B1CMM
Lisa Gargaro Sleep Co is creating new personalised Sleep programs every week for families out there who are struggling to get enough sleep. However, the truth is that even if she can create the best laid plan for you, your baby and family, it will not be effective if you as parents are not ready for your child to do this.
So for Lisa, as a sleep consultant, the first big question she asks is: Are YOU ready to make this change and to undertake sleep training with your child?
If you don’t know or are a little unsure, take a look at this 10-step checklist that she has created, to help you make that decision and determine if you and your baby/toddler are ready for sleep training!
Babies learn early on what feels good (e.g. being in mummy’s or daddy’s arms) and what doesn’t (i.e. dirty, wet nappies). This leads to an instinctive reaction to cry. They learn that when they cry, they will get a clean diaper or will be held and comforted. A new-born baby has limited self-soothing abilities and if these are not developed, over time they will learn that a need can become a want.
Your previously great-sleeper may also suddenly develop ‘sleep regression’ at around 4 months old, with frequent sleep problems occurring. You may convince yourself that your every-two-hour-eater is genuinely hungry or needs comfort. But eventually, once you have started to run up a sleep debt yourself, you’ll find yourself asking and wondering whether they really need it as much as they want it. Is the only reason they “need” it because that’s all they’ve ever known, or because they can’t sleep without it?
Your baby does have the ability to learn new ways and methods to sleep. Far and wide across the world experts discuss the ‘right’ age to try new methods, however, each family is different and setting an exact age may not be helpful. There are two key elements to finding the right age to start. Firstly; whether you believe that your baby has the ability to learn a new skill and form a new method of putting themselves to sleep, and secondly and more importantly; do you wish to help them learn this new skill for themselves so that they can self-soothe independently, ensuring they are well rested to give them the best possible chance to grow and develop?
The timing has to be right for both you and your baby. Many experts would agree that a 3-6 month old can learn to self-soothe, but it may be right for YOUR family to wait until baby is 12 months’ old. This can depend on your baby’s temperament and a whole host of other factors. Nobody knows your baby better than you and only you can figure out the right time to do this for them. Keep in mind that you can always try, take a break and try again a bit later on if you doubt your timing at any point after you have begun.
You decide the timing that is right for you. The difference between hearing your 16-week old or 6-month old fussing or crying, versus hearing your 11-month old is very obvious. Whether you decide to use a no-cry method or a crying one, there is always going to be some difficult and uncomfortable moments to deal with. So ask yourself: are YOU ready for some rough days and/or nights? Are you able to deal with it when it may get harder, for a few days once you start, before it gets easier?
Sometimes, it is our own expectations that are to blame for our baby’s perceived ‘sleep problem’. Ask yourself: “Is your 8-month old breastfed baby still waking up once a night to eat?” For many, that is A-OK and age-appropriate while for others, this is not acceptable nor wished for. We know all babies are different and sometimes you just have to adjust your expectations of them. Once the expectations are lowered and you stop comparing between your baby and your neighbour’s, you will find this does wonders to your outlook and your family.
You know that you NEED to sleep train your baby, when the thought of having to wake up every hour to put a pacifier in the baby’s mouth cannot go on any longer. Or for those of you who do have appropriate expectations and don’t feel you have a true ‘baby sleep problem’, only you can decide whether you need to sleep train. Some families say that even getting up once a night is just brutal months and months later, so maybe your sleep training is about getting a full night’s sleep. Similarly, others have experienced increasingly severe side-effects to sleep deprivation such as suffering with various health problems, daily difficulties in functioning, or even depression. One client told me recently that she never understood how sleep deprivation could be used as a form of torture until she had a baby. This is something that I can totally relate to!
You are able and willing to commit to the time needed to undertake sleep training. One of the most important aspects of my support as your consultant is setting appropriate expectations about how long sleep training will take. Some people get frustrated three days into the training when changes are not happening fast enough for them. I would ask you to first consider how long your child has had the current sleeping habits. For some toddlers, sleep training means you are changing habits which they have had for as long as two or three years! To be clear, results come rarely overnight (though sometimes they are!). However, most people will have at least some success within one week and for older children, approximately two weeks. These changes will help give you the boost you need for the long haul!
You are ready to be 100% consistent and patient with the program and with your child. Changing strategies daily or even hourly can lead to more crying and frustration for both you and your baby. Consistency is necessary as this will create the security needed for your child to change their learnt sleeping behaviours. I like to use the analogy that this is similar to yoyo dieting versus a more sustainable and effective “lifestyle change”. Therefore, sleep training should not be seen as a crash diet. You need to be consistent both in the short- and the long-term.
So, are you truly ready? A key part of success of the program is patience. Even more so if you are using a no-cry sleep training method, you need to be prepared to be patient. You would never expect your baby to learn to walk or talk in a day, so you can’t expect him to learn new sleeping skills so quickly.
You are ready to invest in your family by asking me to be your family’s sleep consultant. I will create your personal family plan. We will decide what your goals are and the steps you need to take to achieve them. By investing in my support as your sleep consultant, it helps ensure results are achieved and maintained. I can help you adapt the program, keep you motivated and stay on track throughout.
What I have found from speaking to my clients is that my guidance during the program is invaluable to helping them see a clear path ahead through the ‘brain fog’ they have due to their lack of sleep. The added support from myself also helps keep them focused and motivated, with the knowledge that I care deeply about their family’s progress in achieving independent sleep for their child.
No major changes occur in one day, they take planning and dedication. Life has a habit of throwing curve balls at us that we don’t anticipate, which is why my experience and training as a sleep consultant means we can work together to make changes to your plan, and work through it together until we have achieved your goals.
You need support to help you through this process. Sleep training can be very emotional and draining and without the confidence needed, the best of plans can fail. It is helpful to have support whether it’s in the form of your spouse, a friend, or myself. Success happens when you have someone you feel accountable to “check in” with and they can help keep you going. Some of my clients have lacked the support at home but were still able to succeed due to the support that I happily offer.
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I hope you find this article helpful in making the decision of whether you are ready to tackle the emotional task of sleep training. Alternatively it may have given you the answer that it is okay to wait until the time is right. The only person who knows what you live with day-in and day-out is yourself. I believe that by listening and trusting your own instincts, they will take you far and where you need to be.
If you’ve tried sleep training on your own without success, you are not alone; many, many parents struggle to get their babies and toddlers sleeping well. What you may need at this point is an expert to help you through the sleep training process. By contacting Lisa today, she can start creating a personalised sleep plan for you, your baby and your unique parenting style. The plan will take you through every step of the process, detailing the schedule for you to follow, with Lisa available at any time to answer your most pressing sleep questions.
Once you have made your decision and wish to start your sleep consulting package simply contact her via your preferred method and she will be in touch soon to start the process.
Lisa has created a special one-hour sleep consultation package EXCLUSIVELY FOR MiC MEMBERS. To find out more, click here.
t: 00357 99260557
Skype name: dream.sleep.club
I am Lisa Gargaro, an expert sleep consultant and I can produce a personally tailored individual sleep program for your baby which details exactly how and what you will need to do to help your baby or child to sleep independently for 10-12 hours each night. With good sleep, the behaviour of your child will be dramatically improved as a result. Please contact me directly to chat about how I can help you, making sleepless nights a thing of the past and every night a great one from now.
If you are an adult who suffers from insomnia I am also able to help you sleep. With a personally tailored sleep program and with the use of CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy), we can train you to sleep so you don’t view bedtime as the enemy anymore.
Being a mother of 4 children I understand & relate to how important it is for the whole family to sleep, this is my passion & goal to help other families achieve this by helping them gain the knowledge & support they may need.
website: www.lisagargarosleep.co/
facebook: @LisaGargaroSleep.co
