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Welcome to Talk Parenting

Do you have a 3-5 year-old child who struggles with bedtime? You are not alone!

Talk Parenting is a new “Alexa” smart-speaker app for making bedtime fun for your family.

Talk Parenting podcasts are included with this program!

Hear from other parents and get expert coaching tips for how to manage common bedtime challenges. You can listen any time by saying…

Alexa, tell Talk Parenting to play my podcast, or Alexa, tell Talk Parenting to play podcast [name or #].

We will send you notifications about the podcast too! When a new episode is sent to you each week, you’ll see a green notification on your Echo Dot and hear a tone. Then, at a time that works for you to listen, say…

Alexa, ask Talk Parenting to play my podcast

What You’ll Learn:

Podcast 1 – Bedtime Basics (9:38 min.)

Learn how to create a fun and successful bedtime routine.

      • Prepare a fun and special bedtime routine by including your child in planning the bedtime steps and by making your child’s sleeping area cozy and inviting.
      • Do your bedtime routine consistently.
      • During each step of the bedtime routine, use these three positive parenting strategies:
        1. Set a clear expectation; that is, tell your child what to do,
        2. Give positive attention to positive behavior,
        3. Avoid giving attention to minor annoying behaviors.
Podcast 2 – Bedtime Stress (9:08 min.)

Learn how to interrupt the family stress cycle.

      • Take a break and breathe, slowly and deeply.
      • Notice what you’re feeling and what sensations you’re experiencing in your body. Avoid acting on your stressed feelings.
      • Focus yourself on the bedtime basics to guide you forward.
        1. Have a fun routine that you do consistently.
        2. Calmly tell your child what to DO.
        3. Give positive attention to positive behavior.
        4. Avoid giving attention to minor annoying behaviors.
Podcast 3 – Bedtime Resistance (10:32 min.)

Learn how to handle children’s bedtime resistance.

      • Prevent tantrums by starting bedtime early, before everyone is tired.
      • Use imaginary play and songs to make difficult bedtime steps easier and more fun for your child.
      • Use a reward chart to help your child with difficult bedtime steps. Use simple rewards that your child likes and that work for you.
      • Manage your own stress by taking some deep slow breaths and stay focused on the bedtime basics:
        1. Have a fun routine that you do consistently.
        2. Calmly tell your child what to DO.
        3. Give positive attention to positive behavior.
        4. Avoid giving attention to minor annoying behaviors.

Podcast 4 – New Bedtime Habits (12:25 min.)

Learn how to help your child build new bedtime skills for calming themselves down to sleep.

      • Make sure your child’s basic needs for food, water, and using the toilet are met before they get in bed.
      • To help children with fears, limit scary books and media, and reassure children they are safe and that you’re nearby. Nightlights and a favorite stuffed animal can also help them feel safe and secure.
      • To help your child develop a new sleep habit of staying in bed and not calling out, set a clear expectation for settling down and going to sleep. Only give attention to the calm behavior you want to see. Avoid giving attention to the disruptive behaviors you don’t want to see, like calling out, crying, or getting out of bed.
      • Check on your child only when they’re quiet and calm. Start with a brief check in after 2 minutes and then gradually lengthen the wait time between check ins.
      • Remember that you’re teaching your child a whole new skill, so stay consistent and patient.

IMPORTANT

We have pre-configured the equipment we sent you for this research project. It is important that you follow the set-up steps that we share. Do not follow set-up steps from an online search or tech savvy friends and family.

Troubleshooting Tips

It isn’t you, it’s us. Thank you for your patience while you test drive this new technology!

Please reach out to us for support, or follow the tips below:

There is an orange ring on my smart speaker.

If you see the orange ring, contact us for help.

I’m stuck in the bedtime routine and can’t seem to move through it.

Say Alexa, Stop or Alexa, Quit. Then try starting the skill again. Say Alexa, tell Talk Parenting to start bedtime.

Alexa doesn’t respond to my commands.

Make sure you say Alexa and wait until you see the blue ring before you give a command.

You can test whether the Echo Dot is still connected to the internet by saying Alexa, what time is it? Remember to wait for the blue ring to appear after you say Alexa but before you say what time is it.

Alexa is saying things that don’t seem to be a part of Talk Parenting. For example, random songs or podcasts.

Say Alexa, Stop or Alexa, Quit. Then try starting the skill again. Say Alexa, open Talk Parenting.

The bedtime routine stops after the book reading step.

When you’re done reading books, say Alexa, continue or Alexa, next. The next step in the routine will begin.

The bedtime routine stops after the turning off the lights step.

When you’re ready for the next step, say Alexa, continue or Alexa, next. The next step in the routine will begin.

My smart speaker has a flashing green or yellow ring.

This means that you have a notification. When you are free, say Alexa, play notifications.

We send notifications when there is a Talk Parenting podcast for you to listen to. You may also get notifications from Amazon. Feel free to ignore these.

Alexa asks me to download the Amazon Alexa mobile app.

Ignore this request.

We have preconfigured your smart speakers so you can have a plug-and-play experience. You don’t need to download anything. But do reach out to us if Alexa asks you to download something!

There is a solid red ring on my smart speaker.

This means that the microphone is turned off and the smart speaker can’t hear you. To turn on the microphone again, press the button that has a circle with a slash through it.

Alexa tells me that it is out of range.

Try to bring your TP-Link device (plugged into your modem/router) and the smart speaker closer together.

My battery pack won’t turn on.

Turn on the battery pack by holding down the battery pack’s power button for 3 seconds. When the battery pack powers on, the blue lights next to the power button will turn on too. These lights show how much charge the battery has left.  If the battery has no power, plug it in to charge it before using it for your routine.

Make sure your battery pack is charged. Plug in the battery pack after your bedtime routine to make sure it’s ready to go again on the next day.

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Helpful Phrases for Using Talk Parenting on your Alexa

During the Bedtime Routine

  • To start the bedtime routine, say Alexa, tell Talk Parenting to start bedtime

  • To move to the next bedtime step, say Alexa, Next

  • To get back into the routine after the book-reading or lights off step, say Alexa, Next or Continue

  • To repeat the current step, say Alexa, Repeat

  • To go back a step, say Alexa, Go Back

  • To pause a step, say Alexa, Pause

  • To un-pause a step, say Alexa, Continue or Next

To Get Parent Coaching

To listen to a podcast, say Alexa, tell Talk Parenting to play my podcast.

To choose which podcast you want to listen to, say Alexa, tell Talk Parenting to play podcast [name or #].

  • Podcast 1 Bedtime Basics

  • Podcast 2 Bedtime Stress

  • Podcast 3 Bedtime Resistance

  • Podcast 4 New Bedtime Habits

To get help with a bedtime challenge, say Alexa, ask Talk Parenting how to handle…

For example:

…meltdowns at bedtime.  

…when my child won’t stay in bed.  

…my bedtime stress. 

For more information:

Contact Talk Parenting

We look forward to hearing from you!

Talk Parenting is a research project funded by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, grant #R43HD101190. Talk Parenting is a partnership of Influents Innovations, Oregon Research Institute, and Parenting Now, and is directed by Dr. David Smith at Influents Innovations and Dr. Carol Metzler at Oregon Research Institute. The content of the project is solely the responsibility of the project directors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.

Influent Innovations
 bedtime@influentsin.com
 786-559-6583