I don't usually complain about sleep because my kids are usually great sleepers. In bed by 7:30 and not a peep until around 6. Sure, I'd love it if they slept a little later, and if I can find the time to put them down at 6:30, they'll usually sleep a full 12 hours. The problem is I NEVER can get them in bed that early because we are eating dinner and cleaning it up and doing other early evening family stuff.
The last couple of nights, though, they boys have been staying up past 8:30 and waking BEFORE 5. It has been totally brutal, and I don't know WTF is going on. The later they go to sleep, the earlier they wake up. Last night, they went to bed at 7:30 but were awake until around 9. At the crack of 4:45, they were both up for the day.
I, meanwhile, was up late transferring pictures to my hard drive (and this was a pain in my ass because I have 10,000 pictures and because I have had 3 different cameras and I never rename my pics, so some of their number-names overlap and I had to either replace or not a bunch of pics, and I don't know what I replaced with what. Argh.), so I slept or maybe 4.5 hours last night (after Monday when I got home from a final exam at 10:30 and stayed up for another 2 hours decompressing. Ugh).
This entry has turned into guttural parenthetical utterances, so I guess that's a sign I have run out of things to say. So tired. Blurgh.
Oh! But the kids! Are just as crabby and exhausted as I am! So imagine the fun we'll have together! Not napping! So that maybe we can sleep tonight!
Oh no!! Can't they wait until finals are over to do this?
ReplyDeleteBetter luck tonight. You can always sneak off to a hotel and leave Ben in charge.
We force AJU5 to stay in her room at about 8 at night. And she is up for the day by 6. We had those 4:45 days though too - and I hated them. One possible positive - maybe they will take good naps and you can join them!
ReplyDeleteOh, and we do have to shut the door on AJU5's room to keep her in. If we didn't, she would try to stay up until 9 or 10 (depending on when we go to bed).
I feel your pain!! Sutton usually goes to bed around 8-8:30, but gets up anywhere from 6:30-7. But now that he figured how how to open his bedroom door, he just walks into our room at any hour, and expects us to entertain him.
ReplyDeleteI recommend lots of coffee.
Could be the change in season I suppose. Seems I read somewhere that longer days cause the brain to produce less melatonin. Is it melatonin? That I can't remember the chemical isn't padding my credibility is it?
ReplyDeleteAnyway you might try some blackout shades to make the house darker, both for early evening and early morning. Who knows man? I mean, it works for birds. :)
I HAVE HEARD THAT THE EARLIER THEY GO TO BED THE LATER THEY SLEEP AND THEY NEED 12 HOURS!
ReplyDeleteI agree with Misty. Get blackout shades-they do help. Also, try and get outside if you can (I know; not easy in Madison until the weather improves) But the vitamin D helps the production of melatonin. It helps to regulate their sleep cycle. Didn't Mari have an info on that topic?
ReplyDeleteKaleb does the same....later he stays up the earlier he wakes, and the crabbier he is. Of course, our battle is to have dinner before 7:45!
ReplyDeleteMelatonin is our friend sometimes.
ReplyDeleteSleep totally begets sleep.
My kid sleeps with me though...so what do I know?! :)
I think that's so true. My kids always sleep worse when they stay up later. That whole theory that they'll sleep in because they haven't gotten much sleep is a load of hooey! I hope they're back to normal soon!
ReplyDeleteAnd I use the term "normal" lightly. lol