Hi all, first time poster long time lurker.....I need a handhold or a hug or something. It's gonna be long so sorry.
Bit of background, me and BF been together 15 years(we both 31)not married coz we bought a house instead, we have a 13 year old DD and a 6 year old DD, happy and close family, until my 6YO has to go to bed at least.
She's a great kid, listens to us, happy, cheerful, playful, crazy....a normal 6YO(if there is such a thing)but she refuses to stay in bed at night time and it's got us to breaking point as a family. We have tried everything yet she gets out of bed constantly during the night saying she can't sleep. It's not once or twice a night, it's 10-15 times a night at worst and carrying on until midnight some nights. It's been going on bout a year now, some weeks she's amazing and we don't have any bad nights but then we have weeks and weeks of her getting out of bed.
We have done the whole nice voiced "come on it's bedtime", We have laid with her to help but that just makes it worse, We have done supernannys trick of putting them back to bed saying nothing, I've followed every damn sleep "trick" and none of it helps. I've even done a chart marking all the times she wakes up and then taking toys of hers for each mark until she starts staying in bed and earning them back for each night she stays in bed but still nothing.
I've made sure she has no issues with the dark(put in a nightlight), made sure her room is calming and cosy, made sure she's not having any anxiety when it comes to bed time and she seems fine but still won't stay. I've spoke to teacher to see how she is settling in school etc in case that was the reason but she's got plenty of friends, loves school and teacher said no problems. I've spoke to DD6 about why she can't stay in bed and her answer is either "dunno" or "I can't sleep"
She has an hour before bed to brush teeth, have some water and then a quiet activity in her room(usually reading/audiobook or colouring) then she uses the toilet and I tuck her in so she has a nice routine every night, she has a decent bedtime(8 on a school day 9 on a weekend) and gets up early(always awake by 7:30am) so it's not like she's going to bed too early or too wound up etc.
Obviously the lockdown isn't helping, it's knocked our entire household out of "normality", as it has for so many others, but I've kept what routine is possible so I can't blame the lockdown.
Last night I reached the breaking point. DD13 broke down and said she can't take her sister getting up all the time coz it's disruptive to her sleep too and I saw red. I yelled at DD6 quite nastily....didn't say nasty words but my tone was just vulgar and I'm ashamed of it.
I am begging for a bit of help....wether it's ideas to help her sleep, help her stay in bed or just somebody to say "I've been there girl, it'll get better have a wine"
TL-DR
Well behaved 6 year old becomes sleep wrecking, bed escaper at night and I'm begging for help
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6 year old won't stay in bed
3 replies
Wackywelshy · 16/05/2020 11:09
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