Tuesday, January 20, 2015

Please, sleep!

Thank you so much for the kind words about MIL, we appreciated a lot.


This post is going to be about Oliver. As always going on holidays has a lethal effect on this boy's routine. The last couple of night in Italy he just didn't seem tired at all and wanted to be up and chatting till all hours. He probably was up with my dad till about 11.30 pm. In the morning he had no problem getting up at his usual 8.30. Not good. He was cranky and hyper all day. By the time we got home we had to go to my in laws for the funeral and again he was still totally off form, in that kind of way that makes you going demented as he is pushing buttons I didn't even know I had. Next we started reinforcing a proper routine and he is just plain resisting. He answers back, he is rude to us and just seems to want to scream his head off all the time at the drop of a hat. We are tip toeing around him. We tried to be strict, we wrote rules in lovely colours we all signed but it's not having any effect. Some days I actually worry he is on the spectrum. The other days I'm telling myself I'm as usual over reacting and he is just a 4 year old. He doesn't want to go to sleep, he wants me to read a book, then tell him a story, then lie down on the carpet, then in his bed. This last night went on for over an hour and I was so so tired I had to go to bed and get Mike on the case. He doesn't want daddy, only mamma. He ended up staying up till 10.30 when he then fell asleep on the couch and Mike brought him up to bed. He was up at 4.30 and in our room (which has been happening since we have come back) and wanting to sleep with us. Which means I no longer sleep at all as he is poking me in the back, wants to hold my hand etc. And I have to get up at 6.45 to be in work for 9 am teaching. I am a walking wreck. And while I tell myself it's a phase, deep down I wonder "is it really?". And what about Martina? She can sleep for Ireland now, it's a pleasure putting her to bed (which I never do because Oliver would throw a fit) and at least so far we had no regression.
Rant over, dreading the night ahead. Any advice welcome.

4 comments:

Valery said...

oh Fran, what a phase... And it is so so much harder to keep a clear head with a lack of sleep!

The only thing this reminds me off is of a story of a cousin of DP. They have three children, and the oldest one did not want to go to sleep at an age appropriate time. Then near them a school for gifted children was opened, he was accepted, and a different child, better mood, better sleep.
All this to say that maybe Oliver is very smart, and craves more interaction and stimulation?
Sorry if this is a ridiculous suggestion, but could you maybe take him swimming? (and both have a workout)
A colleague told me they have a children's mattress in the parents bedroom, that way a child can be close but not poke you?
Anyway, best of luck keeping your sanity and hoping Oliver will simply snap out of it pretty soon!

Praying for Hope said...

Sounds like my Kathleen who is a perfectly sweet four year old girl punctuated by bouts of button pushing, whining, brattiness. Like at this moment. A lot of what you have described sound like a four year old whose routine has been upended. It sounds like mine, anyway.

Momasita said...

I agree that this sounds like typical 4 year old stuff. My daughter has been going through very similar behaviour. I agree with Valer, try and keep him really active after school...take him outside and let him act the fool or go swimming. Hope you get more sleep soon.

St Elsewhere said...

"He doesn't want to go to sleep, he wants me to read a book, then tell him a story, then lie down on the carpet, then in his bed."

I think I have had sleep issues with Figzy since the very beginning. If the baby doled to me exactly what his sister did, I just might go mad.

Everyone tells me that things settle down by the time the child is 5, and that is the only that keeps me going some days.

Oliver and Figzy should be put in the same room at the night. They will be perfect.