My daughter was born a strong willed child who even at an early age (8months) seemed to need or want very little sleep. I would get up at 2am to go to the bathroom and hear her playing/talking in her bed.
This continued and between the ages of 3-5 we actually had to fix it so that she could not get out of her room at night; for her safety.
She is now 11 1/2, in the gifted class, beautiful, and still roaming the house at night. She takes stuff from the kitchen, food, drinks, windex, papertowels, and most recently a bag of brown sugar and a knife (sharp). She was going to use the knife to whittle.
Her father and I are going out of our minds, she is up until 2 or 3 sometimes. We have bribed, begged, taken her stuff, grounded her, stayed in her room with her(she can remain perfectly still with her eyes closed until we go to sleep) eliminated bed time as long as she stays in her room, extended bedtime with reading time, and the list goes on.
I am loosing my mind, all help welcome
2006-09-20 08:11:09 · 17 answers · asked by reevesfarm 3 in Pregnancy & Parenting ➔ Grade-Schooler
She has cheerleading practice for 2 hours twice a week with games on the weekend. This happens even on nights when she has had extreme physical activity.
2006-09-20 08:15:46 · update #1
We have set ground rules, she absolutly ignores them, that is the problem. She could stay up until school started at this point and I would be ok with it as long as she stayed in her room. When I ask her why she does it she just says, "I don't know"
2006-09-20 08:17:48 · update #2
Wow, what a challenge. My first response was duct tape but I can see you are beyond the stage of humor.
Talk to your Dr. to see if there is a chemical imbalance going on. Maybe there is a change in diet that can help! It is very strange but food affects our bodies in many different ways.
Be patient, but be active in helping to find a solution for her. She is lucky to have caring parents who want to help get this resolved before her hormones really kick in and change her chemistry.
2006-09-20 08:15:09 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
This didn't happen overnight. I have a friend that when their kids (5, 7, 11) are at home, they go to bed between 11-midnight. They are not very good at discipline but are in complete denial about it saying it's not their fault. They are very sensitive about it. When the kids grandparents have them (they live near their schools), they are in bed at 9:30 pm no questions asked, and they do great. They respect the grandparents.
Bribing a kid? Discipline is needed and you have to set the standards now. She obviously doesn't respect what you say much and I dont' know in your household if you can do anything about it. Your not going far enough. If you can't control a kid when they're little God help you when they are older.
You take absolutely everything away from them until they get that your serious. As time goes on, give them more and more back; make them earn it.
Obviously what you've done hasn't worked, and you need to lay down the law.
Also, get her up early to do chores if she's so energetic. Don't let her take naps and soon she'll be sleeping like a baby. Right now your kid runs the show. Take back your household.
Do NOT give her sleeping pills especially Ambien. This is about habits. Americans want the worlds problems fixed by taking a pill and this is about who's in charge.
2006-09-20 15:25:05 · answer #2 · answered by Ice4444 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Get her up earlier. Like around 5. Make sure she's active all day long up until bed time, by active i mean up and about outside playing. Not just sitting around with dolls. Make sure her last meal is a couple hours before bed. cut sugar out of her diet completely, and i do mean comepletely, any and all forms of caffiene as well.
If this continues a doctor might be able to perscribe her some sort of sleep aid (such as unisom half tabs) or something to get her into the habit of sleeping at night and functioning during the day. Some people are just naturally night people, but if you can get her system into the routine of sleeping when its dark out it will help.
Also, i'd take all her toys out of her bedroom, not so she cant play with them, but so that her bedroom is strictly for sleep. Dont have her do ANYTHING in her bedroom except sleep and change clothes.
2006-09-20 15:21:14 · answer #3 · answered by amosunknown 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It sounds like your beautiful daughter isn't getting enough excercise during the day, that her mind is still active at night. Try going for a walk or a run before bedtime. You will find she not only falls to sleep easier, but she will sleep deeper and wake brighter after a while. PS---> Before bed should only be used as a last resort. Try doing something physical during the day, too! Good luck!
2006-09-20 15:16:04 · answer #4 · answered by Collin R 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋
You have to take her to the doctor for some kind of sleeping aid. Make a temporary thing until she's old enough to know better. So people just don't need a lot of sleep. I wish I was that way I have to sleep at least 10 hours recommended by my doctor.
2006-09-20 15:18:55 · answer #5 · answered by Sasasa 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
u could talk to a dr about it. there are some issues such as aspergers that lead to little sleep, but as long as she is functioning well during the day i think u should just let her be the way she is. just set ground rules of what she can and can not do after a certian time of night.
2006-09-20 15:15:39 · answer #6 · answered by Roger 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Id try talking to her Dr. about it. Sounds like she has a sleep disorder. I know some people may not think Meds are the best idea. But if that does come up, sometimes you just have to think about the quality of life for everyone in that house. ( Not drugging her, Dr.Rx meds)
2006-09-20 15:15:26 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
This is quite simple to answer.
This can be solved by not giving in to her "demands" of staying up late. Put a lock on the outside of her bedroom door and lock the door. Before bedtime, give her an Ambien (15 mg) and she will be asleep soon. After a few nights of this, the cycle of sleep will happen by itself.
Better living through chemistry.
2006-09-20 15:26:06 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋
it might be worth taking her to a pediatrition and getting her checked. You have done everything possible now it is time for proffesional help. What you say she is taking to her room seems a bit unusual, ie. knife brown sugar windex and paper towels. Get her and yourselves some help
2006-09-21 04:57:14 · answer #9 · answered by Rachel 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
How physically active is she during the day? Maybe she needs to find something that will get her to expend a little more energy.
2006-09-20 15:14:23 · answer #10 · answered by Brian D 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋