Sleep.
No one around here is getting alot of it lately. Sammi (who'll be 3 this weekend) has decided that she's afraid of her room. Afraid might be too mild a word, terrified is more like it. I've noticed for the past few weeks that she's had increased anxiety when going to bed at night. I think it started after the first bad thunderstorm this summer. Sammi is not buying the "angels are bowling in heaven" idea. :::shrug::: Hey, it worked when my Mom told me that when I was a small child....
Tonight at 9:30pm after our usual routine, we told her it was time for bed. She immediately began crying, "Noooooooooooooo" and was clinging to my leg. When I removed her from my leg and carried her toward her room, she grabbed onto the door frame. When I pryed her fingers off the door frame, they latched onto the refrigerator. When I finally got her to the bedroom, I had to physically pry her off my neck. While trying to put her in the bed she became hysterical, screaming that she was afraid. Mike and I both tried to calm her and ask what she was afraid of. "Fireworks" was all she could say between sobs. But she LOVED the fireworks on the 4th of July, guess she forgot. Maybe it was the firecrackers that went off the other night shortly after the toddlers went to bed. We found out later that it was Spencer and a few friends who set them off.... He came home and asked if we heard them a few hours later. Hear them? I told him I was surprised he didn't hear Sammi & Mikey. As soon as they went off, we instantly heard the toddler's panic-stricken screams and the patter of feet running across the kitchen.
Tonight was the worst night yet. Because Sammi becomes so upset, Mikey can't help himself but to sympathize by joining in on the chaos. Two hysterical children screaming.... Honestly, I wonder what our new tenants thought of the commotion down here tonight. I truly wouldn't be shocked if child services appeared on my doorstep tomorrow. Better clean the house early tomorrow morning, one never knows. After a solid hour of this madness, I decided to try to calm them by reading them a few stories. So I sat on the floor and began reading. "Once upon a time...." Calmness was returning, smiles replaced sad red splotched, tear stained faces. Just when I thought, "Yes, this is going to work" BOOM.... the lights went out. Mother nature, you sure do have a cruel sense of humor sometimes....
A thunderstorm rolled in and hysterics began again.....We brought them both out in the livingroom and held them while the vivid lightning storm raged around us. Mikey fell asleep during the storm from exhaustion, one down, one to go.... At midnight Sammi was still awake, we decided to bring her to bed with us. Just as she started drifting off to sleep at 1am.... BOOM, the thunderstorm returned with a vengeance. At least this time she didn't scream, she put her pillow over her head to hide. When the storm finally passed about a half hour later, Mike removed the pillow. Shhhh...she's asleep. Poor Sammi, her hair was matted down from sweating and even in slumber, I see the dark circles forming under her eyes.
As we gently started to carry her to bed, she woke up....screaming, kicking her legs. I finally had to bring her out to the livingroom so Mike could get some sleep. Although we have two couches she refused to sleep by herself. "I neeeeeeeeed you Mommy".... ::::sigh:::: I don't know what we are going to do.
Sleep.
No one around here is getting alot of it lately.
23 comments:
Oh Lord. I remember so well what those days were like. When Stephen was about the same age, he went through the same thing! We lived on the lower level of our apartment building. The man who lived above us only worked nights and slept all day. His office was above Stephen's room, but I swear it sounded like the man was up there doing cartwheels! He didn't buy our story either. [God's moving furniture] I think he was much smarter than we gave him credit for and knew THAT man upstairs was not God, or he wouldn't be scaring him like that. LOL! I wish I had some answers for you on this subject. I can only relate :(
Hoping you'll be able to sleep soon. Take care
Mia
Just found this journal. I couldnt help reading every entry and am cracking up! You are such a cool mom and thanks for sharing...
Nicole, mom to 17 mo. old toddler
I hear your pain (and lack of sleep). I think all parents go through this. Hang in there!
~Heather
Oh, I'm so sorry about this. The thunderstorms here have been horrible lately and I can't imagine how frightened kids must get hearing that racket. I think I remember lying in the room with my kids to get them to go to sleep when they were like this (and I'd be annoyed because it would take forever and I waited for bedtime so that I could have some peace and then it seemed they were stealing my night time too). I hope you all get some good sleep soon. Your poor daughter must be exhausted! (along with Mom...)
Poor babies and poor mommy! We rarely get thunderstorms, so the kids think storms are cool. Hope everyone sleeps well again sometime soon! Melodee at www.melodee128.blogspot.com
Sammi has my sympathy. I was terrified of lighting and thunder when a child and still am. Only difference is I'm older so no longer grab hold of door frames, refrigerators or any other thing I could grab hold of. *Barb*
you poor thing - i do feel for you - in 1992 my three boys were 3, 2 and almost one yr old when they all three came down with the chicken pox! -
shortly after that - i would pass out from exhaustion and they would sneak out in their under - roo's for a midnight run on there big wheels ..
Talk about FUn.. they are 15,14 and almost thirteen now and let me tell you - Im Skeered LOL
Awwww, poor wittle babies!! I guess I am fortunate that my children were never afraid of thunder for some reason. I guess it's because I actually welcome the thunderstorms and get giddy about them! I have been known to even go outside with the kids to watch them "roll in". I always say "Isn't Mother Nature amazing?". Guess not in your house though! Mother Nature is just plain cruel!! Poor kids and poor you having to sleep on the couch! Not very comfortable!
Hugs and love, Lisa
i like your journal, come to my journal sometime and leave a comment:
I just found your site at 5:00 this a.m. It's the only hour to myself before my 8 month old Sammi and 2 year old Kevin wakes up. And yes, my almost 15 year old queen sleeps until I realize she still lives here. If she's real lucky, that's one or two in the afternoon. I'm looking forward to returning but today I'm celebrating my 42nd birthday and my husband and I are sneaking away for 8 hours. This is the first time I've been out with him for more than an hour since probably last year. Long long story. It's sounds like we have a lot in common..
I'm the mother of a 7 month old and a 15 year old who is always scaring my baby just to watch him jump. Maybe try letting the little ones watch you let off the firecrackers and make it a fun party with snacks. I hope you can get sleep soon.
As a mom of 4 who has "been there, done that" I can appreciate this one. Now I have 3 teenagers and a college sophomore, and apparently have a scarlett "I" tattooed on my forehead for total "IDIOT".
When they were little and in the donwannagotobed stage, we had nightly laydowns. Either their dad or I would lay down with them in their own beds till they fell asleep or threw us out, whichever came first. (Daddy was usually out like a light!) Much easier to sneak out than risk waking a sleeping munchkin. A little Monster-B-Gone sprayed around the room doesn't hurt either, soft music, whatever. Laydowns got shorter and shorter and eventually disappeared by the time they were 10 or 11.
My oldest daughter actually bought the concept of "God talking" as an explanation for thunder, and even elaborated. "Prob'ly he's talking to Mary. Prob'ly they're goin out to dinner"
hey! michelle..i have three boys 17,13,12..i can sympatize with you as they say this too shall pass...we live were the thunderstorms are more like thunderboomers and the lightning lights up the house...kids did go for the angels are bowling but only for a short time...then i too took them outside as the storm approached and watched the sky and all the beautiful light streaks and then counted the time between the thunder and the lightning..that tells u how far away the storm is..that really interested them...then if all else fails let them sleep on the couch, it could be a camp-out then good back to their rooms the next night....i really enjoy reading yr journal entries...it gets more scary once they get their driver's license...good luck and god bless!!!!!!!!!!
Hi Michelle!! I found your journal through the AOL parenting link, and I've really enjoyed reading it. I'm a 43 year old mom of 5...4 boyz ages 8,5,4,3 and 1 teenage daughter...so I can relate to all your stories!!!! God had blessed us with wonderful joy, don't you think?!? Check out my journal sometime, Life with the Boyz, I will be sure to be back to yours!!! In Christ,
tam
Ok we play musucal beds with our 3 1/2 year old and did i mention that is while waiting for our 16 year old to come home... we have 3 boys 3, 13, and 16 yearr olds. many people ask same dad, you on the second husband no just a second life.
it is 24 7 with the ages so spead out any suggestions from one mom to another?
beth
Ok we play musucal beds with our 3 1/2 year old and did i mention that is while waiting for our 16 year old to come home... we have 3 boys 3, 13, and 16 yearr olds. many people ask same dad, you on the second husband no just a second life.
it is 24 7 with the ages so spead out any suggestions from one mom to another?
beth
Hey! Great site. I'm 45 y.o. mom of two. In October my eldest will turn 18, just one day after his baby sister turns 3. You're right, it's a wild ride sometimes. My daughter was learning to walk when my son was learning to drive. Neither one were in a big hurry to achieve either milestone, interestingly. It's been fun to see the parallels in the infant/teen development scheme. Dependency/autonomy/dependency....
Poor little kid. I was afraid to go to bed when I was little too. Hope she gets over it.
The best thing to do is to lay down with you children until they go to sleep and then leave the room. They will eventually outgrown their fears of their room. I have 6 kids and went through this with at least 4 of them. Another idea is to read them a story while they are in the bed. A nighlight is also a must as it chases away the dark. Praying with you child also gives them security throughout the night.
Update: I've been reading the toddler's a few stories and then lying down with them until they fall asleep. Although doing this has made bed time more peaceful, I don't consider this a *solution*. I feel like I am missing out on the little quality time I have to spend with my hubby. :::sigh::: Color me: slightly resentful. Still feel like I need to come up with a better plan....
Mine had that fear as well. We taught them to holler, "Good Job!" or "Yay!" at every big thunderboomer. (Complimenting whichever angel got a strike) Now that they are older and we live in the desert, they pray for wicked thunderstorms which almost never appear.
I hope you get some sleep soon. This will pass, I promise! ~Peachy
Yikes. Poor little ones - and poor mommy and daddy. I'm still afraid of thunderstorms - especially at night. They're intense in the summer out there. Fireworks scare me a bit too. The noise I guess. Hopefully you'll all get some rest soon.
LOL Awww, poor Michelle. Darlin', I've found that sometimes the easiest solution is the best one. Put them to bed with you or on a pallet on the floor - whatever it takes to get some rest. If it's the dark they're afraid of, get some good night lights. Sometimes they just have to outgrow it. Sure makes it hard on Mommy and Daddy, though. :(
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