MY KIDS DONT SLEEP!!!!!!!!!!!!

miami85

Tue, Jan 20 2015, 11:04 pm

perquacky wrote:

Have you tried melatonin?

I have, some nights it worked better than others, noticed a trend that if I gave child melatonin he would end up sleeping in my bed in the middle of the night. Trying to NOT give the melatonin to see if child can stay in his bed all night.

amother

Tue, Jan 20 2015, 11:19 pm

acccdac wrote:

what are their eating habits after 4pm?
what are their activity levels between 3-7 pm?
did they ever sleep?
when you say they dont sleep does that mean they get out of bed too?
what ages?

Eating habits- dinner at 4:30 (starch or protien- I usually split dinner cuz too mich at once) and at 5:30-6:00 (only if kids still hungry)
During this time when they're not eating, they play with dolls, Legos, draw, color, or fight with each other
6:30 bath time
7:00 bedtime
My 3 year old used to sleep this past summer but now that she's out of her crib, she keeps coming out
My 9 year old was always a tough sleeper (bedtime at 8:00)
And 6 year old so far the best sleeper
But other kids keep her up
(And they're not in the same room)

acccdac

Tue, Jan 20 2015, 11:30 pm

amother wrote:

Do they get any caffeine at all? if yes cut out immediately, if not ignore question.

I think some physical activity needs to be added in at 6:00. Take a family walk around the block, I do understand that you may be in a cold climate (I'm not) then maybe do family exercise at home. Create a circuit of jump rope, situps, and burpies. Put on a timer, 1 minute at each activity and keep a daily record of who can complete each activity (meaning after the 21 min who did the most burpies)

Also once the 9 year old goes in bed you shouldnt see him or hear him the rest of the night. You dont wake him in the morning, you give him an alarm clock, and plug in across the room. If he cant get ready for school on time he will have to move it 15 minutes earlier

(my 11 and 8 year old have been doing this for 2 years now.)
The 3 year old needs a chart.

amother

Tue, Jan 20 2015, 11:33 pm

I'll be watching this thread OP. Similar problem, only my kids don't sleep in the morning either, they're up with the sun!! I tried pushing off bedtime, thinking they need less sleep, but nothing doing. Falling asleep easily seems to be a skill they have yet to learn.

Half a dose melatonin helps, but it makes my 6 year old wet his bed... And if he keeps himself awake somehow he is completely out of control afterwards.

If I grab fifteen minutes between baths to lay down with the three year old, he often falls asleep and then the 6 year old doesn't have who to party with.

Giving the older one a cd to listen to with headphones also reduces the chaos.

amother

Tue, Jan 20 2015, 11:46 pm

I took my kids to the pediatrician, ENT and a sleep doctor and after concluding they had no medical issues causing them to not sleep well, this is what we were eventually told to do.

At 6:30 every single night (including non-school nights) we get in pjs and brush teeth.
We then close/dim all the lights in the house so that there is no bright light on. We also put on soft calming music. I then play a quiet game with them (usually some sort of card game) until 7.

At 7 everyone goes in their beds and they are not allowed out until the morning. Each kid gets a cup of water next to their bed, and they can't ask for more. They are allowed to get up as needed to go to the bathroom, but no being disruptive when out of the room. Only allowed to come into our room at night if there is a thunderstorm or really scary nightmare. Older kid is allowed to read in his bed for up to 30 minutes - he rarely reads more than 5 minutes, because he is so tired.

The first week we had to make a chart with a really good reward at the end. I was shocked how well this worked. We have been doing this for a couple of months and B"H my kids have been sleeping amazing.
I know it sounds like it's not "drastic" enough to make a change, but I also did not believe it until I tried it. The doctor told me that the key is the winding down time before bed and the atmosphere that makes them drowsy without realizing it.

Btw my kids are early risers and no matter what time they go to bed they are up between 6-6:30. That is why we have an early bed time, to ensure they get enough sleep each night. Obviously you would have to work with times that make sense for your kids.

Hatzlacha!