WOH and sleeping issues

iVillage Member
Registered: 09-15-2003
WOH and sleeping issues
2315
Sun, 05-22-2005 - 10:34am

We were at a dinner party last night at the home of one of dh's coworkers. They have 2 boys, 6 and 4. They have a bunch of sleeping issues (kids 'scared' at night, won't fall asleep in their own bed, won't go to bed without mom or dad cuddling them, etc.) The mom blames herself because since she works all day and misses them so much she tends to cuddle with them late at night and they fall asleep in a pile on the bed all together. She said that if she SAH, they wouldn't have the same issues.


I sah. For us, bed time is a rigid, welcome respite at the end of the day. Dh has no desire to keep them up either, lol.

Meldi

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iVillage Member
Registered: 12-29-2004
Wed, 06-08-2005 - 6:35am
Oh,you needn't get all apologetic. Dogma's right, but most boob jobs *are* strictly for the Barbie factor. Plastic is the word.
iVillage Member
Registered: 01-29-2004
Wed, 06-08-2005 - 6:39am

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Thumbs down to that. Talk about causing yourself undue stress. The motion of a car easily puts a sleepy child to sleep. If a child takes a 10 minute catnap in the car, he can get enough energy to be awake for several hours which is never a good thing at night time.

And forcing candy on a child who hasn't even asked for it? Just so you can keep him awake? That's just selfish on your part.

iVillage Member
Registered: 01-29-2004
Wed, 06-08-2005 - 6:52am
You guessed it! I still keep an eye on my 5 yr-old too. Guess I'm hovering, though it used to be called having some manners. I don't want to leave a place with the homeowner (whether friend or family) thinking my children aren't well-behaved because they started a fight, broke something, or ate all of the pigs-in-the-blankets!
iVillage Member
Registered: 01-05-2005
Wed, 06-08-2005 - 6:52am
I don't suppose you've noticed that the parents who have these children who get so overtied that they can't sleep are specifically the ones with the strict sleep schedules. Its not a chicken and egg problem, you know.
iVillage Member
Registered: 09-15-2003
Wed, 06-08-2005 - 6:55am

I have, more than once.


But you CAN'T reuse the grounds. You HAVE to load the kids in the car and go to the store immediately.


Meldi

Meldi
iVillage Member
Registered: 01-05-2005
Wed, 06-08-2005 - 7:07am
And we keep telling you - yes babies do sleep no matter what. If they're tired - they sleep. Being as I've actually gone down the road of trying to keep babies awake, I know this for a fact. Babies who are so easily stressed by change that their family'are sleep schedule prisoners, are the result of nurture, not nature. You created those children who can't sleep easily. Babies and young children don't suffer much in the way of sleep interrupting adrenalin shock because they don't spend alot of time looking forward to or back on anything. They don't create excitement or stress for themselves. It actually has to exist at point in place and time to affect a baby. Yes, if you never let your infant sleep in the car seat or the stroller, being in the car seat or the stroller at nap time will present a sleep interrupting shock for your 3 yr old. This is not rocket science.
iVillage Member
Registered: 09-15-2003
Wed, 06-08-2005 - 7:09am

Haven't you ever been so overtired that you couldn't unwind? Ever heard of getting a 'second wind'? Why wouldn't a child get so hopped up on the excitement of the day that he got a second wind? A sleep schedule provides rest at regular intervals for kids. Just like regular mealtimes and baths. All part of everyday health.


I resent the notion that I did my child a life-long disservice by not having the occassion to make them sleep at a fireworks display. I've tried to get my child to nap (but, then maybe she's just been transitioning out of them since she was 3 months old and didn't 'need' a nap) at various family parties and get togethers in different locations, on and on, because, like yourself, I am all for a good time. Each and everytime, no nap, cranky child. Could it be (gasp!) that MY child just prefers quiet for sleeping? That some kids are 'light sleepers' just like their parents? Isn't there something that rules such functions in humans? Hmmm....what's that word....genes?


Meldi

Meldi
iVillage Member
Registered: 01-05-2005
Wed, 06-08-2005 - 7:12am
Yes, happy as clams for hours. I wouldn't have any children like that, and neither would my friends, if we hovered over them the way you do yours. They'd be very unhappy clams indeed. Their parents would be equally unhappy though bigger clams.
iVillage Member
Registered: 01-05-2005
Wed, 06-08-2005 - 7:18am
You are not going to like this. If you have a 4 and 6 yr old or is that 3 and 5 or whatever that can't be left to their own devices for more than 10 minutes, its time for some early childhood intervention. Something is not going well or right here with someone.
iVillage Member
Registered: 01-05-2005
Wed, 06-08-2005 - 7:24am
Well given that you're at best only ever tending your own under duress, thats not really surprising.

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