HOLLY BOLLINGER
Where to begin? Well, I guess we’ll start with how my education led to my current life’s work. Like many of us in our mid-30s, I went to college and obtained a bachelor’s degree in English and writing. Soon after, I began working as a paraprofessional at an elementary school. There, I fell in love with teaching and decided to return to school for my Master of Arts in Special and Elementary Education. I spent the following five years in an elementary classroom helping children and their families. During my teaching career, I married my loving husband, Bryan in 2009.
Naturally, when I became pregnant I read every book about pregnancy and parenthood. I felt totally prepared, as most expecting mothers do. Then my son, Tommy, was born and he did not sleep! I was baffled and frustrated that there weren’t more resources that truly explained my experience. WTF?
Sleep wasn’t on my radar. I knew newborns didn’t sleep, but I thought it was something that just magically clicked around three months. Sure, there were books about sleep on the market but they didn’t connect to my life, with my son. And, I won’t even go there with the mixed messages whenever you try to find information about sleep and how it works. But, being a person that craves education and loves problem solving, I went on the hunt for a program that felt right to me and my motherhood experience thus far.
Finally, weeding through a lot of BS, I found the Sleep Sense program. Not only did I have a book for personal reference, I had access to a consultant to walk me through my family’s sleep journey. Soon enough, Tommy was sleeping through the night. I was a healthier, happier mom and he was a healthier, happier baby. That was 2012.
My husband and I always wanted a big family and with Tommy sleeping so well, we decided to get crazy and have a few more. Well, three additional kids later and my life couldn’t be more chaotic. We now have three school age boys: Tommy, Sammy and Frankie, as well as one preschool aged daughter, Josie. To say that my life is busy would be an understatement.
Like so many of you, my days are filled with appointments, practices, classes, meetings and whatever else comes up. Daily, I take on the challenges of “moving the train forward,” as I like to call it. I’m the cook, the driver, the grocery shopper, the support system, etc. As you know, the list goes on and on.
But, the one thing I still have to calm the chaos at the end of the day is sleep! When Josie was 4-months old, I decided to become a certified Sleep Sense consultant. I knew what a saving grace routine and healthy sleep habits are for my daily life as a mother of four. I wanted to share this knowledge with struggling families by marrying my love for education and sleep.
I know how hard and tiring the days are. I know how emotionally invested we are as mothers and how taxing parenthood can be. We need to recharge and decompress at the end of the day, no matter the age of our children. I am so thankful for the gift of sleep; both for myself and my children. We are a happier and healthier family because of it.
I have built this business to help other families overcome their struggles with sleep. I want everyone to find calm in the chaos that is life with children. If you’re ready to make a change, click the link below and let’s get you healthy and happy!