PFKaP, those two actually look disturbingly like my parents in 1965.

Lumina, Edgy: Part of the problem may well be that we do not have schedules. We are self employed and we have to do what needs to be done when it needs to be done. Things are tight now and our days are even more erratic.

Since I started keeping a log of what is going on when he has these long nights, the only consistent thing is that he’ll be pretty easy for a week, followed by 2-3 rough nights. I can’t see what else is synchronized with that pattern.

The (PFKaP) - 24 February 2009 05:41 PM

Tough break, too, cuz if he had hooked up with Amy Winehouse, the kid would be like this:

hey hey hey .... leave Amy out of this ....

Mr. Yuck - 24 February 2009 07:23 PM

PFKaP, those two actually look disturbingly like my parents in 1965.

Lumina, Edgy: Part of the problem may well be that we do not have schedules. We are self employed and we have to do what needs to be done when it needs to be done. Things are tight now and our days are even more erratic.

Since I started keeping a log of what is going on when he has these long nights, the only consistent thing is that he’ll be pretty easy for a week, followed by 2-3 rough nights. I can’t see what else is synchronized with that pattern.

is it possible for one or the other to engage in high energy activities later in the day ....

I used to coach sports with kids and the days we had the most intense practices ... the parents would always comment on how well the kids slept and how long .... I know he is young, but at age 4 my son could play on a mini basketball goal with me on my knees for hours and pass out for the next 10 hours .... him not me

Good advice, ttt. My kids also sleep best when they’ve had a couple of hours of fairly intense exercise in the afternoon (especially my high-energy boy child).

Mr. Yuck, you definitely have your hands full, dude. I remember what those months of sleep deprivation felt like, and I feel for you. Wouldn’t want to go back there.

Each kid is unique—we have one who needs a schedule and one who doesn’t. I wish we could be more flexible with my girl, but we’ve learned that if we mess with her sleep schedule, we all pay.

But I think ttt’s plan might work. Do either of you have time to chase the kid around the block a couple of times before dinner?

When my kids were young I would play a game called secret agent ... I would give them a mission which usually meant running across the yard and touching a tree then running around the house and touching their toes ... while I pretended to time them .... then when they were done i would tell them mission accomplished ... and offer them another mission ... if you are creative this will wear their little butts out and entertain them also as they get older you can improve their memory by giving them more complicate activities ....  the neighbor kids loved it .... I could say things like touch every second bush then pat your head and walk backwards ten steps .... then skip to the corner before racing back to me in record time ... sometimes while they were running I would tell them they were ahead of 007’s best time ....

tattttms - 25 February 2009 05:03 PM

When my kids were young I would play a game called secret agent ... I would give them a mission which usually meant running across the yard and touching a tree then running around the house and touching their toes ... while I pretended to time them .... then when they were done i would tell them mission accomplished ... and offer them another mission ... if you are creative this will wear their little butts out and entertain them also as they get older you can improve their memory by giving them more complicate activities ....  the neighbor kids loved it .... I could say things like touch every second bush then pat your head and walk backwards ten steps .... then skip to the corner before racing back to me in record time ... sometimes while they were running I would tell them they were ahead of 007’s best time ....

Great idea! We’re going out to play secret agent right now!

Edgy Mama - 25 February 2009 05:16 PM

tattttms - 25 February 2009 05:03 PM

When my kids were young I would play a game called secret agent ... I would give them a mission which usually meant running across the yard and touching a tree then running around the house and touching their toes ... while I pretended to time them .... then when they were done i would tell them mission accomplished ... and offer them another mission ... if you are creative this will wear their little butts out and entertain them also as they get older you can improve their memory by giving them more complicate activities ....  the neighbor kids loved it .... I could say things like touch every second bush then pat your head and walk backwards ten steps .... then skip to the corner before racing back to me in record time ... sometimes while they were running I would tell them they were ahead of 007’s best time ....

Great idea! We’re going out to play secret agent right now!

best of fun

If you get into it and act very mission oriented they will too ... they can also do it in groups or pairs ... it is always better to lower your voice as if someone is listening .... again the more convoluted and silly the more the kids like it ... and the best part is you don’t actually have to do anything but pretend to time them or take notes about their skills and give them a pretend ranking ....

I can tell Tat was a good parent.

Our area stinks for toddlers. “Watch out for the cliff! Noooo! Not nice bear! Abort mission!”

We’re going to change dwellings soon, but watch this phase end right after we do so. Seemed like a great place when he couldn’t walk.

y
nice of you to say ...

i loved raising my kids ... I hope you savor the madness involved ... they grow up quickly

i hope you find space to play soon

Grrr…

Mr. Yuck - 25 May 2009 01:30 AM

Grrr…

hes doing it again, i take it?

or not doing it, i suppose, since we’re talking about sleeping.

None of us slept too much last night. The Iglet walked up to the screen door and announced “Bear out there!” He was right- It was trying to get into CP’s car and then it smelled what I was cooking. We don’t have AC and things got pretty stuffy and smoky in here after we battened down the hatches.

I think were signing on a new rental in W. Asheville tomorrow.

i guess thats why persefony isnt so content these days.

I have a couple of comments about this, having experienced similar problems with my two boys (now 3 and 6).

First, you mentioned you have no schedule, which in our experience is crucial to a good sleeping pattern. A schedule needs to be reinforced by a routine.  You drill it in every night and stick to it as best you can.  Our schedule looks something like this:

—Active time after dinner for wearing them out as much as possible.  This ‘wrassling time’ usually involves me rolling around on the floor with them while they kick me in the nuts.  When it’s summer, I try to take them out for a walk or something.

—Head up for bed, brush teeth, pee, etc

—Read two books, tell two stories.

—Lights out

Always do this at the same time every night, try not to stray from the schedule.  Talk about it before hand, give them warnings about what is coming up:  “Boys, in 10 minutes we are going up for bed. Do you want to wrestle before then?”.

Kids need structure, and when they don’t have it, it becomes obvious quickly.

Another thought is that perhaps there is a root cause you could be looking at.  Why might he stay up all night?  Is it dietary?  Have you tried cutting out sugars and caffeine?  I’ve noticed that about 2 ounces of Diet Coke after 5pm is enough to keep my 6 year old up until midnight.

Anyway, sorry for the rambling…I feel your pain.

so, basically, late night lines and lates with the toddlers is a no-no?