6yr old sleep

[Bahh]

Hi, two questions. If any of you have kids around this age, what is their usual sleep pattern? Do they sleep through the night?

And also if they do wake up, what do you do to get them back to bed? Say nothing and lead them back to bedroom, lots of hugs and comfort etc?

[tessiebear4]

Mine sleeps through the night unless sick. Occasionally calls out in sleep when having a nightmare - I usually just let him self-settle or go in and gently pat and reassure if it's going on a bit.

[OytheBumbler]

Mine sleeps through unless she's had an 'accident'. -whole other story-

If she does wake and come into my room because of a nightmare or whatever I just lead her back to bed and tuck her in etc.

[Bahh]

Interesting. In your opinion/experience is sleeping through at that age the norm? Or are you just lucky and actually disturbed sleep is to be expected? Are they difficult to get to sleep in the first place?

I'm trying to figure out who has unrealistic expectations here, me or OH. We can't agree what 'normal' is.

[InTheDessert]

My 5 year old sleeps through, unless ill or wet (maybe once every 6 months, usually just before he is ill). In either of those cases, I stay with him until sorted.
My 7 year old does not, and has never, slept through. However from the age of around 4 it has been made perfectly clear nights are for sleeping. If he can't sleep, but there isn't a problem, he is to let everyone else in the house sleep. He goes through phases of calling out - maybe a week in every 6, and doesn't get much other than "stay quiet" if there isn't a problem.

I would say most 6 year olds are sleeping through the majority of the time.

[FATEdestiny]

Sleeping through is definately definitely the norm at Aged 6. I'd say that unless you are attachment parenting (cosleeping and long term breastfeeding), sleeping through has been the norm for several years.

Occassionally my 6 year old (now 7) would wake up. If he is ill for example. This is probably 10 times a year, or so.

If he seemed genuinely ill, he'd come in our bed for the rest of the night. If he seemed alright, I'd lead him back to bed, (get him to have a wee on the way), straighten bedding, give kiss and leave him to it.

[Bahh]

Ah. This is what I thought. I'm just getting so frustrated. She is my SD so OH does the getting up and putting her to bed but he A) thinks it's completely normal to wake up a few times a night at her age and B) will enter into conversations with her when she wakes up.

Long hugs, are you okay, can I get you anything, do you need food/drink, do you want music on, do you want to change pyjamas, what have you been dreaming about, do you want x, y, z.

She was awake, I kid you not, at least every 20/30 minutes if not more until 3am last night and every time this whole process of cuddles and questions and chatting and rearranging.

I just come across as an evil stepmother if I say "this isn't helping, please just lead her back to bed and tell her it's time for sleep". I feel like I'm going crazy.

[FATEdestiny]

Is she resident with you?

The upheaval of having two different homes and seperate routines at each adds a whole other dimention to the situation.

Given this, your DSD may not be "normal" for her age. Sounds like she's after extra compassion and attention from her dad at bedtime. Which I can understand, she must feel more insecure than others without this upheaval.

Would your partner consider cosleeping with her? That is probably the best way for everyone to get more sleep.