BUFFALO, N.Y. — Every parent knows the importance of reading to your kids, and a new reading series is promoting the connection between a bedtime story and quality sleep in North Buffalo.
On the first Saturday of each month, the "Start with Sleep" store on Hertel Avenue will host a nationally-acclaimed children's author for reading and discussion.
"Reading to your child before bed really anchors a good bedtime routine," said Start with Sleep Owner and Sleep Expert Soda Kuczkowski. "We've gotten away from a bedtime routine, but we've really gotten away from reading. It's just so important. We need to get back to the basics of bath, brush, book, bed."
One of Kuczkowski's tips for better sleep for all ages is to identify your sleep pattern.
"Sleep is all about timing. Waking up. We wake up with alarm clocks, we hit the snooze, and we wake up with what's called sleep inertia, so we're really super groggy," she explained. "It's all about finding when's the perfect time to wake up."
She says you can do this through apps such as Sleep Cycle.
"It gathers your data over a period of five days, based on your breathing, and your movement, and then it will actually tell you when is the right time. It works as an alarm clock," she said.
Kuczkowski, and co-creator of the story time series, Jonathan Masiulionis, started with a visit from New York Times bestselling children's author Susan Verde in June. She led a reading of her book I Am, Human: A Book of Empathy, following by a children's yoga class.
This Saturday's session will be with Michael James, the author of Princess Pumpkin the Pocket Alpaca, which tells the story of how a malnourished baby alpaca was nursed back to health.
Below are the dates and times for upcoming "Start with Sleep Storytime for Kids" sessions. All events begin at 11am.
Saturday, July 6th: Michael James, the co-author of the new children's book, Princess Pumpkin the Pocket Alpaca
Saturday, August 3rd: Rich Morrison, best-selling children's author and founder of The Hug Alliance & Hug The Moment
Saturday, September 7th: Darren Garwood, international children's author and the creator of the Jackson Superhero Series