tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2192703706444951973.post1568806278075343458..comments2023-12-22T09:02:20.992-06:00Comments on Morgan's Mommmy Memoir: The SolutionMorganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02364458952431023647noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2192703706444951973.post-28974031514271924042012-02-27T13:22:41.493-06:002012-02-27T13:22:41.493-06:00I think about you and this struggle a lot cuz I am...I think about you and this struggle a lot cuz I am a lover of sleep...and I know when it was just me and Hunter is was SO hard. He always (and still does) hated going to sleep. He was the child that would bang his head against the wall to keep from falling asleep. My DAD was the child that would hold his arms over his head when he was sleepy so that when he would nod off, his falling arms would startle him awake. My sister to this day does not like to go to bed in fear she will "miss something". My kid got it honestly. But NOT honestly from ME. Me....I can sleep on a noisy school bus, on the front of a speedboat while it is racing across choppy water. You name the place, I can sleep there. <br /><br />Some things I did with Hunter to get him to calm down and realize that it is time to sleep (and I was NOT a scheduler....not consistant with the time but we had the same general routine). It is a little different now, because his Daddy is in charge of bedtime now...but the principles are the same. First of all, we dont generally do baths right before bed. They seem to get him riled up rather than relax him. They are done before supper (usually). All potty breaks are done before he climbs in bed (once potty training started). RIGHT before climbing in bed he gets his vitamins and picks out two "fun" books. We climb in bed (both of us) and I tuck him in. I don't usually get under the covers with him as it usually wakes him up when I get up to leave the room. We read his two fun books and then I either read him a story out of his Bible or a just simply tell him a Bible story (depending on my preference). Then we say our prayers. I say one first, as that is how children learn to pray...by hearing their parents. Then he says his. In the beginning I helped him say his but now he says his own. He does NOT get out of bed and kneel by his bed to say them. We are working to create a peaceful environment so once he is tucked in, he stays there. He says his prayer laying down in bed. (the having to close his eyes while he prays often makes him VERY sleepy.) And then....I sing. I have found that singing with many babies/children helps soothe them. I sing church songs. NOT Bible class songs. Bible class songs tend to have motions and he has a tendancy to sing along. The song choice I think is a preference but I found that for me it is much easier to recall the words to Jesus Loves Me at 3 am than it is other types of songs. The singing has also worked with my niece who is also a TERRIBLE sleeper. When I visit my sister, I often give her a break from baby...and I have often gotten her to sleep relatively quickly by singing softly to her. (It also works with my VERY YOUNG [6 month olds] Bible class students).<br /><br />Sorry this is super LONG! :)<br /><br />And some things I have learned over the years...different foods/drinks and even meds effect people differently. You hear about people giving their children Benedryl to help them sleep on occation....NOT my kid. Up all night. SO BE careful with everything. If he is OVERLY tired it is MUCH harder to get him to bed. My well behaved child turns in to a HOLY TERROR when he gets TOO sleepy. Daddys are VERY GOOD at getting children riled up RIGHT before bed. I've found that tickling sessions and wrestling make it harder for him to fall asleep. We tend to watch a short video (we are very much tv people here) while laying in MY bed right before bedtime. It gives him time to wind down and let his body relax. <br /><br />I pray you find something that works as we all need our sleep :)Ellenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05265899155322996293noreply@blogger.com