Do you ever get to a point where you feel well-rested as a parent?

[Anonymous]

Not every days, but many days I feel well rested. Kids are 7 and 4. Like another poster, we don't do weekend activities. DH and I split household stuff pretty evenly.

[Anonymous]

I am not sleep deprived, but am still tired! One kid, age 6. He is an early riser, and we've adjusted our schedules to accommodate that, so I usually sleep about 10:30-6:00. But every couple of days I stay up later or have trouble sleeping and feel exhausted, so I'd say I have like 2 days per week when I feel well rested!

And even though I generally get enough sleep, keeping up with kid activities and parenting is just energy consuming.

Exercise and fresh air are key for me. I go for walks and use the gym daily, especially on the days I don't sleep well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Actually, when I began working again.
I really LOVED the moment after the usual hectic morning of getting the kids ready, walking them to school, jumping on the subway, then settling into my workstation with a hot cup of morning tea and slowly checking emails and the workday's task ahead without being interrupted. The last 3 words are important - focusing without being interrupted.
I entered this magical world when my youngest entered kindergarten and I hit the job market pronto.
That un-interrupted morning tea was the best well-rested moment of my day.

Now that I work from home, well, it's OK I guess. The kids are older and don't need me as much but I have to look at the laundry and dishes all day and get distracted by the home chores that need to get done. So since lockdown, my morning teas no longer feel like an escape.

When my kids were little, i enjoyed momday mornings bavk at thr office, where i can drink my coffee uninterrupted AND go.to.the nathroom ALONE.

Yeah, being able to go to the bathroom alone once more is a big deal. You don't know you've lost this important daily bit of privacy until you've got it back.

[Anonymous]

WTF! I am fully expecting to feel well-rested once we get out of the toddler years. I feel like a million bucks after 7.5 hours sleep.

For those who've forgotten, this is what my night was like (with a 6 month old and 3 year old):

10.30pm - DH and I go to bed
3am - toddler comes in to tell us she's afraid of the monsters (DH takes her back to her room)
4am - toddler comes in again to let us know about the monsters (we make up a bed on our floor for her)
4.30am - baby wakes up, cries a bit, falls back to sleep
5am - toddler keeps asking questions, says she can't sleep, argument ensues
5.30am - baby wakes up again
5.45am - I finally give in to baby and go in to give him his morning feed (toddler falls asleep FINALLY!)
6.30am - everyone is up for the day except the toddler

So most nights, a 4 hour stretch is the best we get. And yes, we have sleep trained both kids (taking cara babies, sleep consultants). The toddler was an awesome sleeper til recently. Sleep training is not a perfect science and it can be so unpredictable in the early years. I.e. the monster problem is a recent thing! But it's a phase, she'll get through it.

I've observed that most of my friends with 8 year olds +, get a full night of sleep regularly. THAT is when I'll be feeling well-rested! But I'm sure I'll have a new slew of daytime problems and stresses to deal with!

[Anonymous]

Right around now. DD is 24 and recently moved out and I WFH.

[Anonymous]

Yes, when they hit the easy years (like late preschool to late elementary grades). Before or after that, no.

[Anonymous]

Early elementary.

[Anonymous]

Most mornings. I go to bed at 10pm sharp. If I stay up late, I suffer. But if I am in bed by 10, I get full 8 hours and I feel great in the morning and throughout the day. I'm 43, kids are 7 and 3.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:WTF! I am fully expecting to feel well-rested once we get out of the toddler years. I feel like a million bucks after 7.5 hours sleep.

For those who've forgotten, this is what my night was like (with a 6 month old and 3 year old):

10.30pm - DH and I go to bed
3am - toddler comes in to tell us she's afraid of the monsters (DH takes her back to her room)
4am - toddler comes in again to let us know about the monsters (we make up a bed on our floor for her)
4.30am - baby wakes up, cries a bit, falls back to sleep
5am - toddler keeps asking questions, says she can't sleep, argument ensues
5.30am - baby wakes up again
5.45am - I finally give in to baby and go in to give him his morning feed (toddler falls asleep FINALLY!)
6.30am - everyone is up for the day except the toddler

So most nights, a 4 hour stretch is the best we get. And yes, we have sleep trained both kids (taking cara babies, sleep consultants). The toddler was an awesome sleeper til recently. Sleep training is not a perfect science and it can be so unpredictable in the early years. I.e. the monster problem is a recent thing! But it's a phase, she'll get through it.

I've observed that most of my friends with 8 year olds +, get a full night of sleep regularly. THAT is when I'll be feeling well-rested! But I'm sure I'll have a new slew of daytime problems and stresses to deal with!

SAME!!! (plus i have an almost 5 year old but he's good most nights). The almost 3yo is far worse than the baby and making me lose my mind. Hours are spent each night going back and forth with him and i've tried all the things. I'm glad its not just me....it's really becoming a problem with him not getting enough sleep, me not getting enough sleep, and me resenting the whole situation

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:WTF! I am fully expecting to feel well-rested once we get out of the toddler years. I feel like a million bucks after 7.5 hours sleep.

For those who've forgotten, this is what my night was like (with a 6 month old and 3 year old):

10.30pm - DH and I go to bed
3am - toddler comes in to tell us she's afraid of the monsters (DH takes her back to her room)
4am - toddler comes in again to let us know about the monsters (we make up a bed on our floor for her)
4.30am - baby wakes up, cries a bit, falls back to sleep
5am - toddler keeps asking questions, says she can't sleep, argument ensues
5.30am - baby wakes up again
5.45am - I finally give in to baby and go in to give him his morning feed (toddler falls asleep FINALLY!)
6.30am - everyone is up for the day except the toddler

So most nights, a 4 hour stretch is the best we get. And yes, we have sleep trained both kids (taking cara babies, sleep consultants). The toddler was an awesome sleeper til recently. Sleep training is not a perfect science and it can be so unpredictable in the early years. I.e. the monster problem is a recent thing! But it's a phase, she'll get through it.

I've observed that most of my friends with 8 year olds +, get a full night of sleep regularly. THAT is when I'll be feeling well-rested! But I'm sure I'll have a new slew of daytime problems and stresses to deal with!

SAME!!! (plus i have an almost 5 year old but he's good most nights). The almost 3yo is far worse than the baby and making me lose my mind. Hours are spent each night going back and forth with him and i've tried all the things. I'm glad its not just me....it's really becoming a problem with him not getting enough sleep, me not getting enough sleep, and me resenting the whole situation

And its even the same hours - every damn night he's up from 3-5 and then he finally passes out around 5:30 just in time for me to get up with another kid at 6 while 3yo sleeps until 730 am or so

[Anonymous]

I had the good luck of spending a month when my 2nd was a month old in a summer cabin with my family - mom, aunt, grandma, cousins, and rotating vidito re s every weekend. Among so many people other people entertained my older one, held the baby, made food, cleaned, and told me not to worry about a thing. DH visited one weekend and had a good drama free time.

I just had to change some diapers, breast feed, and do bedtime with mom's help.

Also nobody criticized or offered any unwanted opinions on my parenting or children's clothes or anything.

This responsibility-free bliss of being among people who love you and think the sun shines out of your ass - the best vacation ever. One of the best.times I've had in many years.

[Anonymous]

Yes. Weekends away with just my DH are when I feel as rested as I did pre-kid. Otherwise, I usually feel adequately rested, due to:

-full-time daycare
-sleep-trained child (7:00-7:00 every night)
-trading off with DH for solo exercise time
-babysitters 1-2 times a week for date nights or afternoons
-occasional weekends of overnight babysitting with my parents
-sleeping 8h a night; tradeoff is I go to bed earlier than I'd like

[Anonymous]

If you’re not well-rested by the time your kids are in elementary school, barring health or other issues, you’re doing something very, very wrong.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I had the good luck of spending a month when my 2nd was a month old in a summer cabin with my family - mom, aunt, grandma, cousins, and rotating vidito re s every weekend. Among so many people other people entertained my older one, held the baby, made food, cleaned, and told me not to worry about a thing. DH visited one weekend and had a good drama free time.

I just had to change some diapers, breast feed, and do bedtime with mom's help.

Also nobody criticized or offered any unwanted opinions on my parenting or children's clothes or anything.

This responsibility-free bliss of being among people who love you and think the sun shines out of your ass - the best vacation ever. One of the best.times I've had in many years.

This was my entire maternity leave with both kids. Not as many relatives, but enough so that all I really had to do was nurse. Everyone should have that! Glad you experienced it to

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:WTF! I am fully expecting to feel well-rested once we get out of the toddler years. I feel like a million bucks after 7.5 hours sleep.

For those who've forgotten, this is what my night was like (with a 6 month old and 3 year old):

10.30pm - DH and I go to bed
3am - toddler comes in to tell us she's afraid of the monsters (DH takes her back to her room)
4am - toddler comes in again to let us know about the monsters (we make up a bed on our floor for her)
4.30am - baby wakes up, cries a bit, falls back to sleep
5am - toddler keeps asking questions, says she can't sleep, argument ensues
5.30am - baby wakes up again
5.45am - I finally give in to baby and go in to give him his morning feed (toddler falls asleep FINALLY!)
6.30am - everyone is up for the day except the toddler

So most nights, a 4 hour stretch is the best we get. And yes, we have sleep trained both kids (taking cara babies, sleep consultants). The toddler was an awesome sleeper til recently. Sleep training is not a perfect science and it can be so unpredictable in the early years. I.e. the monster problem is a recent thing! But it's a phase, she'll get through it.

I've observed that most of my friends with 8 year olds +, get a full night of sleep regularly. THAT is when I'll be feeling well-rested! But I'm sure I'll have a new slew of daytime problems and stresses to deal with!

Ha yes it’s better when there are no night wakings. That was torture. So I really shouldn’t complain, but I still rarely feel well-rested the way I did before I had kids. I do get 8 hours a night so my health isn’t in danger or anything but the stress of kids is still tiring.