My 7 year old DS is still having night terrors and sleepwalking episodes. He has also been saying some upsetting stuff.

[mehgalegs]

DS2 is 7. He has had night terrors for the last 4 years or so, usually within an hour of falling asleep and usually because he needs a wee, his body wakes up but his brain doesn't.

Sometimes I gently lead him to the loo, he does a huge power wee, {despite having had a wee at bedtime)he mutters and mumbles but goes back to bed and is asleep again within seconds.

Some nights, about three or four times a month he "wakes" with a yell or scream, runs around the landing in a panic calling me, with a look of absolute terror on his face.

I lead him back to bed, he shouts and pushes , then relaxes and hugs and kisses me, saying I love you Mummy, then he pushes me away again, it is like he can see someone over my shoulder.

He talks gibberish but the other night he suddenly sat up and said "DS4 is a really stupid boy, I hate DS4". It was said with real venom and a horrible look on his face. He then clapped his hands over his mouth and looked scared again.

Our DS4 has SN and this has really worried me. Is ds2 feeling resentment to DS4 and this is how it has manifested?

I hoped he'd grown out of it by now.

Any experiences?

[OneLieIn]

Sorry can't help. As an adult sleepwalker I can only sympathise. I sleepwalk only when very stressed.

It might be that he is feeling stressed and this is a manifestation. Have you asked him about it?

[mehgalegs]

Sort of. When he did it the other night he suddenly went quiet and then I realised he had woken up. He cuddled up in my bed for a bit and asked how he had got there. When I told him he thought it was quite funny. ( I didn't tell him what he had said about DS4)

It does tend to happen if he has gone to bed cross about something. (He is lovely but now and again I get cross at bedtime if he is messing about) so stress is probably a factor too.

[OneLieIn]

Have you asked him about how he feels about DS4?

[Lazycow]

mehgalegs

I'm no expert but I would have to say that in your position I would think that your ds1 is holding in some resentment against his younger brother.

tbh he'd be pretty abnormal if he didn't feel some resentment against his brother especially if it is causing difficulties for you.

Is there anyway you can get him to talk to you about it . There are no easy solutions but he might feel he can't say anything because it would upset you and is therfore holding it in.

[mehgalegs]

He is a sensitive chap. he is also quite a good talker. Just need to find a moment when I can get him on his own.

Of the three he is the most helpful and caring with DS4, th eother two treat DS4 just like any other annoying younger brother but DS2 is more gentle. That is why I was so shocked at what he said, and the anger he said it iwth.

[Lazycow]

mehalegs

Is he also the closest to you by any chance?
Being the most sensitive one means he will try his best not to upset other people.

Annoying as his siblings are their reactions to your ds4 are probably more healthy for them.

I am not saying that your ds1 shouldn't be kind and caring. It is lovely that he is but he can be kind and caring to your ds4 and still should be able to complain about him sometimes.

Do you think maybe he he feels like he can't complain because he loves ds4?

We adults know very well that we can love someone passionately and yet still get annoyed with them. Your ds is only 7yrs old so maybe he doesn't realise that.

[mehgalegs]

I have just had a little chat with DS2.Nothing heavy, DS4 was bashing at the computr keys when DS2 was playing a game. I removed DS4 and said to DS2 "It's hard being DS4's big brother sometimes isn't it?" He agreed and said "Especially when he bites me, he bites me very hard and I am not allowed to shout at him."

DS4's biting is under control now but he gets over excited when they are all roughhousing and he still does it sometimes.

I told DS2 that if DS4 is biting him he is of course allowed to shout at him.