What's a parent to do?

Tammie

I don't know if I am the only one with this problem or not. But I have two boys ages 4 and 6. I get them up at a normal hour (the older one is in school, now). I even put them to bed around 8 or 9 pm, depending on what is going on for the day. But my problem is it is now almost 12:30 am, and they are still wide awake, and driving me NUTS. Has any one ever had this problem, and if so how did you fix it? If you have wondered what I have tried, spankings (but I don't like to do those), and yelling (and I don't like doing that either). Now this is an every night problem. And I am looking for solutions.

Eyebrow

Do they take naps during the day? If so, eliminate the naps if possible. This should make a difference.

If all else fails there is always Childrens Nyquil....muahahahahah!
just kidding

larc

Tammie,

When people are hungry, they eat. When people ar thirsty, they drink. When people are sleepy, they sleep. Let them stay up and loose some sleep, then they will sleep the next night.

Don't worry about it.

gotcha

go to the kh record a service mtg and play it when u want them to sleep

Simon

Our eldest, Liam, is good at going to bed and sleeps like a log. He takes after me... he likes his bed and hates being woken up (but unlike me always gets up at the crack of dawn).

Dylan, on the other hand, does not like going to bed at all and often gets up. It seems he only needs to close his eyes for a couple of minutes to be totally re-charged and ready to go. As annoying as it is, I sometimes find having a little play with him and a walk round the house pointing to things and talking about them kinda 'distracts' him from not wanting to go to bed and then he'll go off.

It is annoying isn't it? We sometimes let them sit up and play for a bit as long as they stay in their room or in their bed. They usually go off quite quick if we just ignore them - I think if we get annoyed and keep going up and down to put them to bed that we become entertainment for them.

Angharad

Tammie I know how fustrating it is, when all you want to do is sleep.

They will probably get out of it soon, as much as Liam likes to sleep and few months ago he started waking at three in the morning and wanting to get up, thankfully it only lasted a week. We just let him sit on his bed, we didn't let him get up and walk around so I think in the end he was bored at went back to sleep. I was like the walking dead in the mornings though becasue I had to stay awake to make sure he stayed in his room.

Latte

Tammie,

I have personally experienced the terrible nights without sleep……….Still trying to forget!! Much better now that they are not kept up for the meetings though!

My two are older now, and do sleep very well 6 and 7.

I have a few suggestions’ that might help.

Have you tried getting them into a ‘regular’ sleeping pattern, always sending them to bed at the same time every night? Doing your best to not stimulate them in the late evening (ie. No cartoons or computer games prior to bed) Reading to them, a nice sleep inducing story. I also found that a door left slightly ajar, so as to let the light in, was better than having those plug in ‘night lights’ as they do seem to cast shadow’s, which can get their imagination running wild when they wake up! (lovable teddy becomes a monster!) Also, try to get the windows fairly blanked out to keep out the shadows.

What I found to work best for my little one’s was definitely getting them into a regular time for sleep, they are now really ‘grouchy’ if they are kept up later than 7.30pm……and the benefit is that you get time to yourself!!! I have never really stopped my little one’s sleeping during they day if they really needed to, just tried to wake them after half an hour or so, they will usually sleep ok in the night.

I also tried asking my local ‘Health Visitor’ (in the uk they are there to help mother and children up to school age) she did come up with some good suggestions such as the above, perhaps you could try your equivalent.

My local library had some really good books with lots of advice, for which I was most grateful.

Each child is very different, so I wish you success and much sleep!!

Latte

mommy

Hey Tammie
I like Larc's advice, but when the kids are in school, they really need that sleep. I know my son is 6 and ever since he was little he has not required much sleep. He is a very light sleeper as well and I can walk past his room and cough, and he is wide awake. He shares his room with his sister, and I also leave the dooor open a bit, instead of nighlights.

Every child is different, but with him he actually goes into beserk mode when he is very tired. I say if he is walking on the ceiling, then he needs to go lay down. I have a regular bedtime for them, and we do the same routine every night. After they get in bed, I spend some time with each of them and then we have a special song I sing to them individually, I have been doing that since they were babies.

After the song, that is it...I am done with them I say No more getting up, no more talking, though sometimes if they are really wired I let them talk quietly together. At times they are really very tired and unable to sleep, I sit in there with them, but we don't talk, I make it firm that they are going to sleep. Usually just my presence in there is enough to make them be still long enough for them to go sleep. It usually takes them less than 5 minutes.

I found out that my kids also would have a hard time if they had a nap during the day. So ever since they were about 3 or 4 they stopped taking naps. When they entered kindergarten, they were given a nap, and this really messed up their sleep cycle for awhile.

Another thing, I never give my kids soda. One day they drank a whole 2 liter from the fridge, sneaking it past me. LOL their bodies went into shock and they stayed up for 24 hours. I swear it was the craziest thing, if a child is not used to sweets or soda it really does a number on their body. I usually let them have a sweet snack after school, but nothing after that.

Good luck! I can't imagine two boy The testosterone alone must keep them wired...lol
wendy

Blind faith can justify anything.~Richard Dawkins

ashitaka

Give them a joint, and maybe they'll calm down. A shot of Scotch with it might be good too.

ashi

SixofNine

Larc's advice is indisputable.

Maybe you could help things along by making sure they don't have any caffienated beverages during the day, making sure they get exercise during the day, and doing some winding down activities late evening.

If they don't get enough sleep one night, it isn't the end of the world.

Also, the difference between 8, and 12:30 is pretty great. I wonder if that is just too early to even be trying to get them into bed? Nothing keeps a person awake more than trying to get to sleep.

Also, would spankings help you get to sleep? don't answer that Think

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