Sleep Deprivation

We are not quite half way through the summer holidays and the lack of routine and bedtimes are showing up at every turn.

Today, I had 2 tired and grumpy souls (actually most days it's been these same 2 affected). These 2 kids just look at each other and they find something to argue about. If you look at the arguments that happen during the day there is a 99.9% chance that it will involve at least one of the 2 of them.

I enforce a quiet time between 1:00 and 2:30 every day. The house is silent. The little ones nap; the bigger ones watch a movie. Talking and playing are not an option.

I think everyone needs a little quiet in their day. I don't think I could have stayed in the childcare business as long as I have, if I didn't have that one hour that I can count on. The ones who are tired have a chance to nod off and catch up on some sleep during this time. It worked like a charm until lately ...

The 4 1/2 yr old has discovered that he can override his exhaustion by keeping one body part moving at all times. The 3 1/2 yr old is learning the same technique. Wonderful. It means that I have tired, cranky kids all day, instead of only half the day.

I've had these parents ask me to make sure these kids don't sleep, so it doesn't interfere with their bed-time. Then ... these kids fall asleep on their way home from here and the parents still have a battle on their hands when it comes to getting these overtired kids to fall asleep at night. The kids return here the next morning ... exhausted ... and so goes the cycle.

I've always been strict with my own kid's bedtimes. Bed time is bed time. End of story. No excuses. No bargaining. No veering from the norm, in the hopes that they will sleep in the next day. From as early on in their lives as it was possible, I didn't vary the routine. And when something did come up that messed with our routine, it was a rare occurrence and there was no need to 'retrain' the routine that was firmly in place.

The only times that I recall having a horrible experience with bed time, is when my youngest was so overtired that he couldn't recognize he was exhausted and succumb to it. Over-tired has the appearance of being wide-awake. The child doesn't want to settle down. But they still need to.

When it did happen, my mantra would be "You are tired. That is why you can't stop crying." ... "You are tired. That is why everything feels like such a big deal." ... "You are tired. That is why you don't think you can fall asleep." ... "You are tired ..."

Yes. The exhausted, cranky and hard-to-be-around kids are striking a nerve in me today. My holidays are only one day away. I hope these kids return from the break rested!