"The Middle of the Night Book" just works.
People ask me all the time - why did you self-publish your bedtime book “The Middle of the Night Book”?
Well, let’s be clear the book is good, it is perfect for toddlers and their tired parents, the illustrations are top-notch and all the feedback I get from parents says it just works - so I knew it could be picked up by a major publisher. But in the midst of the pandemic & quarantine, burned-out parents needed it right that moment.
They were the ones who were searching the internet at 2 am googling “How to stop my toddler from screaming” or “When is it ok to ignore my child in the middle of the night?” or “How to stop toddler night terrors”. They were desperate for answers so that they could wake up the next day rested, ready to head into 14 Zoom meetings with their toddler clinging to their legs.
There was no childcare, no grandparents or relatives to drop by, there was zero support from employers and the government. A parent's only real lifeline was a good night’s sleep - and let me tell you that was hard to come by even if your child slept through.
Books not only introduce new concepts to children - but they also introduce the same concepts to their parents. Many people have never heard of a body scan never mind tried to use one in the middle of the night, but it works - and it works for all ages.
A body scan naturally lowers the levels of cortisol in your system. Cortisol is the same hormone that your body produces in order to wake you up in the AM, so lowering its levels when you head to sleep or when you wake in the night makes a big difference to falling asleep at a faster rate.
Please take a moment and watch/read the review attached and let the enormity of this simple routine change sink in. I thank you if you have supported me over the past year on this journey - and even if all you do is learn to do a body scan and never buy my book that it is enough.
After a review like that would I sacrifice the impact this book has made over the past tumultuous year for national recognition and even possibly more book sales if I had waited and gone the traditional publishing route? No.
I appreciate you all.
With Gratitude, Stef Tousignant
