When my baby calls out on the monitor that she's awake, I hop right up to go get her. I want to get to her before she climbs out of bed by herself so I can help her get up on the right side of the bed...
The best trick I've learned is to enter the room with a big smile, arms outstretched, thrilled that she's awake.
This is one of the strongest evidences I have personally experienced of how mama's attitude affects the whole atmosphere of the home!
Waking up grumpy (since grumpy doesn't always go back to sleep) can also affect the whole atmosphere -- so this proven technique of happily approaching the freshly awaking child is preventive to a high degree!
Honestly, I feel like overall, it helps ME as much as it helps baby... because baby's nap doesn't always seem long enough... So it can be a little disconcerting to hear the voice over the monitor that alerts me to her apparent decision to NOT just roll over and snooze a little longer.
I -- sometimes with great effort -- conscientiously put away those negative thoughts of frustration and put on a new face, a big-delighted-infectious-ear-to-ear-sincere SMILE.
And ya know what?
It turns out that it is NOT just an outward transformation -- I really do *feel* happy too!
I no longer yearn for the half-hour that could have been mine had she slept a little longer.
I start to embrace the idea that I still have that half-hour -- and that I get to share it with an angel! An angel who is happy, too, because of how Mom came to help her get up on the right side of the bed.
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