My kids do not want to sleep?

Question

I have two beautiful daughters who are 4 and 2. I love being a mother more than anything in this world, but I am kinda draggin really bad here lately. My daughters do not want to sleep at all. They stay up til like 4 oclock in the morning, and then want to get up at like 8. Four hours of sleep doesnt' seem like enough for kids their age. I can't figure out what to do. I usually try to clean house after they go to bed, which means I only get about two or three hours of sleep. I have no one to watch them for me so I can rest. I need someone to give serious and helpful answers PLEASE!!!!

This is a very serious question. I wish I was joking.

My kids are very active, they play all day long. We take them to the park, take them on walks, and they aren't allowed to have a lot of junk. They eat a lot of fruits and veggies, and drink plenty of water and juice. I do not know how this happened. I have done everything in my power to stop it. I wish I could tell everyone how this came to be, but I can't. I just really need help.

Answer 1

kids just go through phases like this....if they are active healthy kids then there is not much you can do....all my kids have gone through this different hours for each of them..we just had to get them on a schedule....it may be hard considering they are used to going to bed at those hours but you have to try to get them on one...for children their age they should be sleeping anywhere between 13-16 hours of sleep....that's counting a nap not a full nights sleep..but that's not to say kids dont sleep that through the night some of my kids did and it was wonderful for my wife....hope things get better with the girls

Answer 2

Kids that age want to stay up as much as they can so that they can play. Kids need structure so they know their boundaries, it doesn't mean that you're the jail warden and they are your ward. You can still make boundaries fun for them. Maybe what you can do is make a bedtime ritual for you and your daughters. Let them eat dinner at an earlier time and at the same time each night. After dinner they can take a bath to relax them. After taking a bath don't let them watch any tv, it will just rile them. Do some quiet activities like reading some bedtime stories while they have a warm glass of milk. Set the number of books you will read each night and let them know that after the last book it's lights out for them and be firm. If you compromise with them they will know that you can be bent, be firm and switch the lights off after the last book. Tuck them in, say good night, and leave the room. Make sure they also get up at the same time every morning, if you let them oversleep they will take their naps later which means your whole sleep schedule will be pushed to a later time and you will have the same problems. Limit their nap time to only a few hours so that they will do the bulk of their sleep at night. It will be difficult at the start but eventually they will learn to follow your schedule. Good luck!

Answer 3

Put them to bed at the same hour every night and make them stay there. As the parent you have to set the parameters. Kids staying up until four am is outrageous, put a stop to it. It's not good for their health or yours.

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You have to make friends with someone in a similar situation. You have to be resolute in your decisions because you don't have someone else to back you up. Also you don't have anyone to play good cop bad cop with so you will have to understand that discipline is not being mean or a sign that you don't adore your kids.

There are no magic anwers but it will be easier if you put yourself in the proper mindset and if you get some sleeep.

Good luck

Answer 4

I'd start by taking all the sugar and caffeine out of their diet. Read the labels on juice drinks to be sure there are no added sugars.
Then, explain to them that from now on they need to have a "bedtime". I'd make it 8pm, and that at bedtime they need to go to bed and even if they aren't sleepy that their bodies need rest.
Before bedtime give them a bath and a cup of warm milk - just barely warmed in the microwave to take the chill off it - like the temperature of a baby's bottle.
Make it a night time ritual. Turn off lights and if they get up out of bed go and remind them that it's bedtime and their bodies need rest.
It will take time and effort and consistancy. Give it a month - if it doesn't get any better talk to your doctor about it.

Answer 5

Give them a half a cup of coffee with a little milk for flavoring. It will slow them right down. They need 10-12 hours of sleep. That is when they do all their growing, their immune system regenerates, and everything they have learned is sorted and stored. Try going to bed when they do. Having the light and TV on could be interfering. No sweets at night, also no apples or bananas. All can make them hyper. If you want to give them sweets, try white chocolate. Dark chocolate is full of food coloring. You can also try carob, a Mexican chocolate. It has less affect on them.

Answer 6

Do they take naps during the day ? If so try cutting nap time out !!
How active are they ? Get them on a schedule and stick to it ! My 2 girls ages 3 and 4 have to clean their rooms and makes beds
after breakfast every morning,take the girls on a nature walk or to a park that will help wear them out !!!

Answer 7

Wear them out during the day then make them go to bed at a reasonable hour ( like 8:00 p.m.). It might take a week but if you truly want them to sleep nights you have to really play with them. Think of games that require running and jumping, things that will exhaust them. No child their age should be up at that ungodly hour. Good Luck.

Answer 8

Here are some serious suggestions, although there are a few good ones listed already.

Your daughters are getting plenty of outside play time, evidently. Sometimes kids can get wound up pretty tight and it's hard for them to get off to sleep.

I can't stress the benefits of Yogurt enough. It's a natural relaxation and sleep aid. Dress it up with a little fruit or dried cereal; serve as pre-bedtime snack. Have a bit yourself, as well. Good source of calcium.

For bathtime, after dinner, the bubble baths with lavender also help to slow down a bit. You might even try some lavender room fresheners or buy a bit of real lavender to hang out of the way.

You could try bringing them home some new pajamas - ' magical sleepy time ' kind, that will help them get to dream land where all their favorite friends and things are. Sounds funny, but works, even if only for a little while.

If the girls share a room, you can do special bedtime books. My oldest were the hardest to get to sleep, even with the above, but neither of them ever made it to the end of the story. Practice up on your character voices. Anyone can read a book out loud, it's different to bring the book to life. Try your local library and have each girl pick out a bedtime book for her night.

I don't know what kind of noises you have going on in the house after the girls are in bed; t.v., stereo. Our wee one, 1 yr, goes off to nap and bedtime with a lullaby, composer classics or Boccelli cd.

Bedtime is bedtime. If you use a nightlight, find one that is really faint. Once they're in bed, expect them to stay there. As long as there isn't a free-for-all going on, I wouldn't bother going back in, unless the light is on. If you need to go in the room, go in quietly. Tuck them into bed, turn off the light and quietly go out. Children have a marvelous way of equating being in trouble with the pleasure of your attention. Don't make a big deal out of it. Going to sleep is a habit to be learned.

Last, don't panic or feel guilty if they're not sleeping the night. When kids are tired, they will sleep; just like no child will ever starve itself.

I've included a link with suggestions on getting children to sleep, naturally. Hope this helps and good luck!

Answer 9

You seriously need to wear them out during the day... keep them on a tight schedule and exhaust them... park, walks, bike rides, etc...

Also, stick to a routine by setting a bed time and about an hour and a half before then get them into the tub, dim the lights, and put in that lavendar kids bubble bath. After that, put all the house lights on low, put them in their PJ's and cozy them into bed. Read them a story or two and say lights out. If they fight, tell them that they have to fall asleep and when they really make it through the night... treat them to show them that it's the 'big girl' thing to do.

Good luck! :)

Answer 10

They need more exercise during the day, lots of activity and do not let them take naps during the day.. Give them a bedtime so they get use to going to bed, They may laid for about and hour awake but they will finally go to sleep when they have relax and calm down... Good Luck!! Be persistent..