Toggle navigation
Toggle navigation
Home
DCUM Forums
Nanny Forums
Events
About DCUM
Advertising
Search
Recent Topics
Hottest Topics
FAQs and Guidelines
Privacy Policy
Your current identity is: Anonymous
Login
Preview
Subject:
Forum Index
»
Elementary School-Aged Kids
Reply to "Getting a 9 yr old to sleep"
Subject:
Emoticons
More smilies
Text Color:
Default
Dark Red
Red
Orange
Brown
Yellow
Green
Olive
Cyan
Blue
Dark Blue
Violet
White
Black
Font:
Very Small
Small
Normal
Big
Giant
Close Marks
[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]DD used to be a great sleeper. Sometime in the last year that changed. She has a really hard time falling asleep now. I think it is because [b]her mind is super-active[/b] and she just isn't letting herself slow down. [b]She is frequently still awake two hours after lights out.[/b][/quote] I have been like this for as long as I can remember -- it drove my mom nuts when I was growing up. First, let me try to reassure you a little bit that it doesn't necessarily have to do with an underlying condition. I mean, it might since you say this is a change for her, and if your gut is saying something's up you definitely know best. But, it could also be totally normal and just the way she is. From what little you have posted, I would venture a guess that she is likely a very creative and intelligent child, which are both traits that will serve her well if cultivated and used properly. Some thoughts/things to try: - As a PP suggested, definitely talk to her and see if something stressful is going on. I always used nighttime to think about whatever stress or problems were in my life and try to come up with a plan to deal with it, so if this is what she does as well maybe your input can help. - Depending on your family rules/schedule, would you consider giving her a journal and a pen to put by her bed so when she has that middle of the night brilliant idea she can write it down and then let it go and go to sleep? All through high school and college, I would go to bed frustrated by some paper I was stuck on and then wake up in [i]the middle of the darn night[/i] (lol, can you tell that annoyed me?) with the perfect point or paragraph or whatever. If I had to actually turn on the light, get up, go find paper, and write down whatever it was, then my sleep was broken and I was pretty much awake for the day. Once I had a journal I could just grab off the table and scribble in by the light of my phone*, I got way better sleep. - Try doing a no electronics policy or quiet time for about the half hour before bed. -If nothing is working, and this is feasible based on your family schedule, move her bedtime back by an hour. Problem solved -- she stays awake like usual and still gets enough sleep. - If all else fails, leave the situation as it is. She will eventually either get used to the amount of sleep she's getting or learn to go to sleep slightly faster. In the interest of full disclosure, though, and so you don't expect a miracle, I should warn you that I did the former and now just get by on less sleep. * OK, the phone reference might not apply since I was a bit older than 9 at the time. Maybe a small reading light, like the type you can clip onto books might work better at her age depending on how you feel about electronics for kids. Hope that helped :) [/quote]
Options
Disable HTML in this message
Disable BB Code in this message
Disable smilies in this message
Review message
Search
Recent Topics
Hottest Topics