Are the phrases “There’s a monster under my bed! I’m too scared to sleep!” or “Don’t leave. Just one more story, please!” part of your nighttime battle to get your child to sleep? You might be thinking your child is just being difficult but the reality is that your child might be having sleep related anxiety.

You child might be afraid of the dark, of a monster under the bed, or bad guys coming into the room, just to name a few fears. The fear of something scary happening while a child sleeps can cause them to feel anxious about wanting to fall asleep.

When I was a "Non-mom," I’d read stories of a new parent charged with shaking her two-week old baby resulting in its death and be absolutely shocked and heartbroken. Then when I had a two-week of my own, I suddenly had a much better understanding of how other mothers could reach that breaking point.

Don’t worry, I would never harm my own; but between my in-experience and severe sleep deprivation, I was having a tough time keeping my composure. Guilt from not being cool and collected as I thought I should be would slowly chip away. It was calming to hear other, more experienced moms express that same feeling. It seems to be another one of those things that people never talk about when it comes to parenting.

Being a mom can be as rewarding as it is difficult. With all the joy comes challenges, such as not getting enough sleep. According to the National Sleep Foundation, 90% of parents believe that sleep is very important in their lives for their own wellbeing and that of their family. But how many moms are getting enough sleep?