"Everywhere, creatures are falling asleep. The Collapsible Frink just collapsed in a heap."
So begins the whimsical journey of "Dr. Seuss' Sleep Book," a classic tale that captures the universal ritual of drifting off to dreamland. Yet, for many children, especially those with ADHD and anxieties, bedtime is not always a seamless transition.
In our family, when it's time for the children to go to sleep, my 8-year-old daughter, Shulie, often reminds me of Max from Maurice Sendak's "Where the Wild Things Are."
"That very night in Max's room a forest grew and grew..."
Like so many kids, even late at night, my daughter can't stop herself from doing "mischief of one kind and another," and her boundless energy and imagination keep taking her on wild adventures. When it's time to go to sleep, it takes a lot of "terrible roaring," "teeth gnashing," and "claws showing" from the parents' side to make her finally step into her "private boat" and "sail" to bed.
When it comes to book series, the Berenstain Bears have a special place in my heart. In the past ten years, our house has meticulously collected every copy of this classic series by Stan and Jan Berenstain. "Too Much TV," "Too Much Junk Food," and "The Truth" have become our personal classics, re-read and re-quoted countless times. However, it's "Bedtime Battle" that never fails to make me laugh. At the end of this funny and charming book, both Mama and Papa Bear collapse from tiredness and fall asleep.
"Sister slipped down off Mama's lap. Brother slipped down off Papa's lap. 'Look,' said Sister. 'They fell asleep. What should we do?' 'Let's let them sleep,' said Brother. 'They need their rest.'"
And oh boy, how much we, the parents, need this well-deserved rest at the end of the day.
When Ryan Judd and I first started working on Cool Koala Bedtime Meditation App for Kids two years ago, we didn't think that our app would one day become indispensable to so many families in their personal bedtime battle, especially in families where the level of energy and anxieties is high. When Ryan and I first brainstormed the idea of a meditation app for kids, we thought of creating a tool that would help kids manage their emotions and stabilize their mental health. In the post-pandemic world, this seemed like an urgent task. But after the app was released, we started hearing from more and more parents about how Cool Koala managed to transform their family's bedtime routine and, to our total surprise, even helped build bonding between parents and their children. Reading the App Store reviews made us feel that all the work we've been putting into this app was worth doing. For example, this review came recently from Canada:
"My daughter struggled to fall asleep and stay asleep for weeks, and your app has not only been the incredible solution to that, but it’s also brought us closer and bonded us at bedtime. We do it every single night together, and we both love it!"
Or this review, which came from the US:
"Cool Koala has really changed our bedtime routine for the better! I love doing this nightly with my son (7) and daughter (4). It's such a great way to relax and connect."
And here is my own personal account: A few days ago, our daughter Shulie woke up in the middle of the night. 'I had a bad dream,' she said. 'Can I listen to Cool Koala?' 'Isn't it too late for that?' I tried to protest, while trying to keep my eyes closed. 'It must be 3 am.' 'I'm scared, and Cool Koala keeps me safe,' she said, 'Pleeeease?!'
In moments like these, despite the late hour, I can't help but feel a sense of enormous satisfaction. Seeing how Cool Koala has become a comforting presence for my daughter and for thousands of children around the world, offering them a sense of security, is truly rewarding.
Developing and especially marketing a mobile app can be a challenging and often frustrating process. It's moments like this, at 3 am, that remind me how lucky Ryan and I are to be able to work on a product that is not only good but also brings good to the world.
And if you haven't given Cool Koala a try yet, what are you waiting for? Here it is – your key to more peaceful, bonding bedtimes. Good night and sweet dreams with Cool Koala!