Last night, I went to bed at a usual hour. Well, usual for me... midnight. I have been trying to get to bed sooner than that, but I forget most of the time. I slept aproximately 3 hours when I heard Bug's door open. "Not now..." was the first words in my head. I knew what he wanted. He wanted his music on. Every night I put him to bed with a Brite Dreams tape. The past week or so, he has come into my room at night and asked me to turn it back on. Last night was different than the other nights. In a bad way.
I sighed, got out of bed and put his music back on cause I knew the sooner I did it, the sooner the both of us would be asleep. I don't know how long one side of tape is, but whatever it was, 15 mins maybe, he came in AGAIN. This repeated until 6. SIX! I didn't get any sleep that whole time, for one, I was having a hard time going to sleep in the first place, for two, I was ANGRY so it made it even harder to calm down enough to sleep.
"Why didn't you just let him cry in his room with a sock jammed in his door?" (the only way we can keep him from opening his door) you may ask? Quite simple. I WOULD if I lived in a house. But, I live in an apartment complex. It would wake my neighbors up. I'm not even sure now if they were woken by my failed attempts to just ignore his tantrums. I couldn't for long because I kept thinking of our upstairs neighbors and if they would wake up with it. Bug definitely had the upper hand. I had to cater to him or the neighbors would wake up just as crotchety as I was.
Why???????? I am running off of almost no sleep! I told Rocket Scientist this morning that if a certain two year old demanded anything of me the rest of the day I would seriously hurt something or someone. He had to think that through cause the day JUST started. Well, it was the same day at 3:45 in the morning too!
I heard or read somewhere that babies will find ways to get the sleep that they need. Is that still true for two year olds? I can almost see little dark circles under his eyes. I have also read that if you play music to children as they fall asleep they get attached to it, and need it playing to fall asleep cause they didn't have the chance to find their own comforting techniques. I thought we didn't have a problem with that because the past couple of weeks is the ONLY time that Bug would wake me up saying he needed his music on. This is after 2 1/2 years of playing the same tape to him. I'm sure he woke up in the middle of the night SOMETIME in those past 2 1/2 years. This is the ONLY time he has "needed" his music on to fall back asleep. And even if he is hooked to it. WHAT THEN? It isn't like I can have him screaming through the night. My neighbors need sleep too!
ARGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG!!!!!!!
5 comments:
Ah, two year olds...I'm so sorry he didn't let you sleep. I hope he sleeps tonight. Much love!
Adriene
we had one of those nights too! except she just wanted to play. I wonder if there is a way to teach him to turn the tape over and replay it when he wants. silly little kids, why can't they sleep when normal people sleep! good luck, hope it helps to know I share your pain (sort of).
I had those bright tapes as a child and loved them. I looked on the internet and they still make them and they make them on cd's now too. So maybe if he had a cd you could put it on repeat all night..... I dont know. ha! But good luck! I hope that doesn't happen every night!
Lee had a hard time last night. It just kills. :P Maybe you should try explaining to him that he can listen to the tape once, and after that it is time to stay asleep. If he comes out and asks for it, remind him gently that he only gets once and put him back in bed. Depending on when you put him to bed, you might have enough time to let him cry for ten minutes or so before the neighbors will be too grumpy. If not, make them some cookies and drop them off with a nice note explaining that you are trying to teach your son to sleep, and to please forgive the crying. And by the way, this is just a suggestion. I'm in no way criticizing your awesome mothering skills; just that this "stay in bed" technique (see Super Nanny) worked well for us. Another thing that helps us is after his song, give him two alternatives, like "You've had your song already, now you can have either a cup of water or a teddy bear, which would you like?" Unfortunately, every kid will go through a night here and there that is just yucky. The best we can do is live and learn, and pray we get a better night tomorrow.
Hey, I totally understand the angry thing. I think it's just lack of sleep though. my neighbor's light has been waking Goobers up at horrid hours of the night and it makes for a miserable angry day for me in which I have little patience for my little one. I feel so bad, too 'cause it's not his fault. Lol. I guess the only comfort I have for you (and myself) is that this too shall pass. And if it doesn't, well, I'll miss it when he's grown.
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