…no. not THE baby. my oldest baby. the 6-year-old. This isn’t the first time i’ve posted about it, and i’m sure it won’t be the last…but i guess i keep hoping there’s someone out there who feels my pain. or can offer up some advice. or some new advice.
this morning i woke up to shower…like i always do (okay, let’s be honest…some mornings i don’t….i hit that freakin’ snooze button 4 times and don’t end up having enough time to shower. oh, like you never….) and heard a rustling coming from Emily’s room….like i always do.
“Mommy, i’m cleaning my room. look at it! i wanted to make it nice for Michelle.”
what, what, what? (think Kyle’s mom)
it was just after 6 in the morning. and her room was spotless. which meant that she had been up, cleaning, for at least 30 minutes.
the. kid. doesn’t. sleep. at. all.
lite bright. ballet. tap. bella dancerella. reading. coloring. polly pocket. barbies. playing school. perler beads (the newest obsession at casa de martell). 10pm. 2am. 4am. 5am. at any time of night, she can be found doing any number of these things.
the thing is…she stays in her room once she’s put to bed. for the most part. she’ll wander in and out of my room for a good 45 minutes showing me artwork and asking me ridiculous questions. “mommy…how do you get a job?” “mommy, what does sarcasm mean?” you know…all those questions that you are dying to answer at bedtime. but, really, she stays in her room. and she mostly stays in her room until 7 am. she’s only allowed in her room once her clock reaches 7. she usually begins hovering near our room around 6:30.
but, my point is that it doesn’t bother me. she’s not asking to sleep in my bed. she’s not asking that i sleep with her. she’s not waking up with nightmares or night terrors. she’s not in any distress. she just doesn’t like to sleep.
but…i’m a big believer in sleep being an important thing. without sleep, i’m moody, i’m snippy, i’m irritable, i’m physically exhausted. and so is she. There’s a reason that she needs to sleep. but, i’ve done some actual research (god bless my best friend google) and i couldn’t really find a reason WHY we sleep. but i know that sleep = happy child. and no sleep = moody child.
don’t believe me?? i have photographic evidence.
this is my daughter on sleep:
this is my daughter on no sleep:
any questions???!!
. And, I find, now, that ocean sounds really help. Maybe try putting a cd with ocean sounds on in her room? Or some quiet soothing sleep-inducing cd? Works for me!!
