January 1, 2026

What I’m Craving in 2026

As we close out the past month, I keep coming back to one word and one word only: community. I don’t want to be a total Debbie Downer as we head into January 2026, but at the time of writing this, I have to be honest — I can barely read the news. After a year of witnessing atrocities across the world, violence toward our neighbours, political tension, and overall… well, fuckery, I’ve landed on one conclusion: we need more community. And I’m putting myself squarely in that sentence. I am a very busy person. Most days, I sit in my house talking on the phone to wonderful, thoughtful, exhausted postpartum parents. It’s a job you’ll have to pry from my cold, dead hands — truly. And yet, lately I’ve been wondering (like Carrie Bradshaw herself): am I spending too much time inside, and not enough time in my community? What’s interesting is that while I’ve been having those thoughts, I’ve also been having the exact same conversations with my clients. So many of them are home, alone, isolated, and quietly wondering if they’re doing the right thing. Half of my clients tell me how relieved they felt just to talk to someone. The other half tell me they’ve been unsuccessfully going back and forth with ChatGPT about their child’s sleep. (More on that in another newsletter — I promise.) So here’s my commitment, to myself and to you: more community. For me, that started in late November when I put out the call to try something new. A friend had attended a professional development training on the benefits of group therapy — and the research was clear. People got better faster, they found support, they made friends, and yes… they found community. So I decided to run a group of my own. Our group was small but mighty. And honestly? It was one of my favourite things I did this year. What stood out most was how much people loved doing the experience together. Even though the babies weren’t all the same age, participants found so much comfort in seeing what others were dealing with now — or what was coming next. Every single person shared how valuable it felt not to be alone in it. Leaving that group was surprisingly emotional. They were incredible humans, and I was genuinely sad to say goodbye. Which brings me to my 2026 intention. I moved in 2020, during the height of the pandemic. Like many of us, the first couple of years were more or less locked down. And if I’m being honest, my integration into the community just outside my front door has been… abysmal. So this year, I’m changing that. I want to know my neighbours. I want to be part of something local. I want more real-life connection — and less doom-scrolling from my couch. And I want that for you too. So my gentle encouragement as we step into 2026: say hi to the neighbour you’ve never met. Make a friend down the street. Join a group — online or in person. Find a way to connect that doesn’t involve your phone, your screen, or your inbox. I’m tired of sad stories. And I truly believe that what heals us — as parents, as families, as humans — is connection. Real, imperfect, human community. Here’s to more of it this year. With love, Amanda

Whether you’re at the beginning stages of sleep training with your baby or you just want to improve your mental health as a parent, the sleep consultants at Baby’s Best Sleep are here to help.