Going to Bed can be Tough for Kids who Just Can’t Relax!
Well, this book is really preaching to the choir since I’ve had many issues with insomnia throughout my life! When your brain won’t stop going, it is hard to settle down and go to sleep. However, I have found that routine and ‘turning off my brain’ to worries and serious thinking after a certain time is a huge factor in helping me get my ZZZs. I think that is why that I am not upset when my daughter can’t sleep and I want to find ways to help her.
Now let me clarify by saying that most of the time my oldest daughter is great at going to bed and we have really stuck to an established routine – but lately, it can be the STAYING in bed that can be hard. See, she is not a sound sleeper, she wakes up at every little thing much like my husband. Here are a few things that she has come to us about in the middle of the night:
- “The power went out! It is ALL DARK in my room!” Yes, this happened at 3 in the morning. How the heck did she realize that? She woke up after her Christmas lights (aka her ‘night lights’) turned off. Wow.
- “My ear hurts!” Granted, she was sleeping on a book and never mind she wasn’t sick, she wanted to come and tell us.
- “I can’t find my paper!” Brooke likes to draw before bed at times, and gets really upset if she wakes up and can’t find her masterpiece. At this particular time, Bob had moved her picture out of her hands to her dresser. Le sigh.
- “I can’t sleep/I’m not tired/I’m bored!” Whether or not this is the case, this is what she says in the middle of the night when she comes to wake us.
So, when we read Goodnight Already!, a new book from HarperCollins, it definitely made us all laugh about how we have been kept up by our oldest while Brooke thought it was hilarious that she was the ‘duck’ in the book. See, in this book, poor Bear wants to sleep. He is SOOOOO tired (parents will relate) and Duck is not ready to settle down. Ouch. It is quite hilarious how Duck comes up with ways to get Bear to stay up and both parents and kids will find this book hilarious (pre-bedtime/middle of the night wake-ups, of course!) and very true to life. Plus, some of the few times that I’m of ‘sound mind’ in the middle of the night wake-ups that I’ve actually read this book, it is very useful at getting Brooke to go back to bed. But, like in the book, when Bear finally gets Duck to go to sleep, Bear is wide-awake. Funny how that works, isn’t it parents?!
Tips for Bedtime by HarperCollins
- Wind down: Try quiet activities, such as reading together or listening to soft music, an hour before bedtime to help your child relax.
- Ready-for-bed routine: Brushing teeth, washing face, and having a glass or water night after night remind your child that it is bedtime.
- Stay sleeping: Turn on a nightlight and make sure your child has a favorite stuffed animal or toy to snuggle up with for the night.
http://www.harpercollinschildrens.com
List Price: $ 17.99
Momma's Bacon 