Why do children become wild when they are tired?

Question

Tonight, when it was close to bed time, my nephew suddenly became a wild child and began to squirm, refusing to sit still - he tried to get into anything and everything that he knew he wasn't supposed to (and had otherwised behaved for the whole day). My brother and his wife said it was time for bed and that he gets like this every time it's bed time. Why do children get so wild when they're tired, as if they're fighting going to sleep?

Answer 1

Because they are fighting to stay awake. Childrens body's get tired because of the size, but if their brain is stimulated with a lot going on (such as the holidays, T.V. lots of activity around them)they doesn't want to miss it, so until they are not only physically tired but mentally tired they will fight. Slow down a while before it is time for bed, have quiet time and see what happens. Best of luck, happy Holidays.

Answer 2

How cranky do you get when you're overtired? And how do you respond, at that time, to someone telling you what to do? I don't know about you, but I get pretty cantankerous and will do dumb things just to prove no one can tell me what to do. And that's the response of a supposedly mature adult! Plus all the good stuff seems to happen after the adults send you to bed -- at least, that is a child's perception. His parents might do well to slow things down as it gets closer to bedtime, so he doesn't feel like he's being cut off from anything, and edge into bedtime a little earlier before he hits that frantic stage.

Answer 3

Exactly....i think they are trying to fight sleep, so they dont miss out on anything. My kids can get wild sometimes before bed too. And if they do sit still.....its like the minute they realize they are sitting still, they jump up and run around some more. Where they get their energy....i have no idea. I get tired watching them!!

Answer 4

Oh, yeah. Children do fight sleep. If we don't put our son in bed in time, we can for sure expect some breakdown from him. The magnitude depends on how tired he is that day. One night we went out to friend's house so when we got home, it's almost 2 hours past his bedtime. And oh my gosh, even mentioning the word "bed" makes him scream and kick. It took us another whole hour to trick him into bed and get him to quiet down. You can expect us not doing that anytime soon....

Answer 5

Because of the fact that they are so tired especially after behaving all day the child has little control over their emotions and actions. So they fight going to sleep after all they might miss something.

Answer 6

You have hit the nail on the head, my dear.When children sense that their bedtime is nearing arrival, they become irritable and cantankerous due partially to a sense of dread and fear of being called to bed.Oftentimes it helps to tell your child how long they have before bedtime so that they can mentally prepare themselves for it.They still might not be happy but at least they wont pitch a fit !

Answer 7

They are fighting the drowsiness. Let them get tired, or teach them to go to bed when told. It doesn't have to be a battle, just send them to bed when they come back out, just send them back in w/o the yelling or anything in that nature. Don't reinforce their naughtiness. If they are in their bed and wiggling around...eventually they will fall asleep. My toddler sings himself to sleep, if I bother him he don't fall asleep until sometime aroun 3 in the morning. If I leave him be he is fast asleep in a hour or so.

Answer 8

Because thats what they are doing. They are fighting it. They feel like they are missing out on whats going to go on when they do sleep, and are fighting you and themselves... alot of time they are tired, but are trying to keep their mind and body going till the last minuite.

Answer 9

Why do you refer on your first son and 2nd 2 babies as 'step brother/sister"...they are 0.5 siblings considering which you are the mummy of all 3 of them! i in my view think of you have this sort of resentment on your son's father, which you have sorta taken it out on your son. this occasion is rather unhappy for all of you! to no longer point out what you're doing on your oldest son, yet do you already know which you're additionally affecting the different 2 babies besides? and you're saying that your husband feels a similar way approximately your oldest son??...he needless to say won't be ready to be that large of a guy! This newborn is 12 years previous, and he's a factor of you! i know you do no longer sense such as you like therapy or despite, yet you needless to say want some form of help..the placement bothers you adequate to have ask for suggestion via way of information superhighway. Deep down, you know there's a subject and positively you desire to restoration it....i in my view commend you for being truthful with regard to the placement. Too many mom and dad sense like this and know they are going to be criticized for voicing it, so they save it hidden and stay with the soreness and destruction. right for you for taking the 1st step...take it a step extra suitable and positively get a specialists perspective....it will be the terrific ingredient you have ever executed for your self and your son.

Answer 10

I don't have an answer except for the one you said...they are fighting sleep, but I thought I would just put my two cents in and get two points while i'm at it.

My daughter is 14 months old. EVERY SINGLE NIGHT when she gets sleepy, its like hells worst demon was unleashed in my house. I almost freak out myself, cuz she is constantly getting into something, or throwing something, or trying to get into the dish washer OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN! She drives me nuts! But...she eventually passes out, and then I eventually pass out, and we start all over the next day.....ahhh....wonderful parenthood.

Don't get me wrong...I LOVE IT. LOL.