Understanding Your Little One’s 3 Wake Zones

When it comes to communicating with our little one’s it can be a bit of a guessing game, to say the least, but it doesn’t have to be this way! Our little one’s may not be able to talk to us until they are between the ages of 1-3 years old, but there are definitely ways that they try to communicate with us! As the parent, we usually get used to their signals and they way they will try to tell us what they want but that comes with time and patience (and sometimes a lot of tears).

Our babies may try to communicate what they want, such as being tired or hungry, and we may not understand which can cause them to become frustrated and therefore lead to a full blown meltdown. Imagine trying to tell someone how you feel and they just don’t seem to get it? I watched all three of my children experience this and I could tell how unbearably frustrating it was for them and since they don’t know how to regulate their emotions it would lead to a temper tantrum - understandably. At that point in time it’s hard to deal with them as they are flailing their body around and seemingly head-butting me by accident - but in hindsight it is totally justifiable. I would feel the same way.

In order to try to prevent (or greatly minimize) these meltdowns - especially with spirited or bold/fiery/passionate children - you have to learn their signals. These signals are very much like traffic lights with a green, yellow and red zone which I am going to dive into so that you can get a better understanding of your child’s zones and how to deal with them - preventing that meltdown that no one wants to deal with. These zones coincide with sleep and that is why it is important to be aware of them, understand them and act on them. It is best to observe your little one over a couple days or so to learn their signals. Do this in a quiet, dim room with no distractions while they are relaxed and content.

The Wake (Arousal) Zones

💚 The Green Zone

This is the zone every parent wants their little one to be in (preferably at all times, but unfortunately that is not possible)! While in the green zone your little one will be content, relaxed, feed well, engage in play, laugh and just seem all around happy. They feel safe and happy and feel that all their needs are being met.

Some signs that your little one is in the green zone include:

• smiling

• laughing

• breath is slow and calm

• bright eyed

• playful

• peaceful

• smooth movements

• mimicking your sounds and movements

👉🏻 If your little one starts to disengage with you (turn their head away, swing it from side to side, etc) that is an indicator they are having trouble staying calm and could be entering the yellow zone.

💛 The Yellow Zone

The yellow zone is a tricky one and the signals your little one shows in this zone can actually be overlooked or missed. When your little one is in this zone they will start to change the way they sound and they may even start frowning or getting a wrinkled line between their eyes. This can signify that your baby is becoming overwhelmed and may need to start doing quiet, calming activities with less engagement but unfortunately this is when a lot of parents will do the opposite. Many parents will try to gain their baby’s attention by talking to them louder and trying to be more playful, but this will only make things worse. This is the time when parents should be talking quieter and helping their little one to stay calm.

Signs your little one is in the yellow zone include:

• frowning

• wanting closeness

• irritable

• fussy

• restlessness

• turning away

• disengaging/losing interest

• pursed lips

• pushing people away

👉🏻 Watch your baby without interfering with them and see what they do: are they having jerky movements? Are they starting to wail? Are they pulling their legs up into a ball? If they are, they are entering the red zone.

❤️ The Red Zone

This zone is the no-fun zone and is the one where many parents tend to panic. This is full-blown meltdown mode! Your baby may become stiff, throw things, or even scream! No parent (or little one) wants to be in this zone!

Signs your little one is in the red zone include:

• crying

• throwing things

• tight fists

• red face

• stiff body

• collapsing (on purpose)

• becoming overwhelmed

• hyperactivity

• arched back

• wide open eyes

• pull up their knees

• nostrils flared

• want to be close to you, but then flip out when you try

🚨 If you can really observe your little one and learn their signals then you can help prevent them from getting into the red zone as much as possible. This is especially important with a spirited baby who can go into the red zone quite quickly if parents miss their yellow zone cues. Be sure to take the time to learn your little one’s signals and attend to their needs as they arise!

If you liked this blog, please share it with other parents in need! I do more content like this in my free Facebook group called Sleep Little One where I give weekly tips and advice to exhausted parents like yourself looking to improve their little one’s sleep, but keep their sanity during the process!

Looking for more personalized help? I can help with that! I offer individualized 1:1 plans to families that works best for them and their little one. If this is something you need check out the Packages I offer and contact me to get started! Let’s get you on the road to better sleep!

Thanks for reading!