Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Original poster

What to do with a child who's too excited to get to sleep...

51 replies

guiltynetter · 24/12/2019 21:29

DD, 5. been in bed 2 hours and has shouted me 3 times saying she can't get to sleep because she's too excited.

I feel for her, I do! I remember being the same as a child. I'm not used to this because she is an amazing sleeper and is usually asleep within 5 minutes every night and very rarely shouts me. she's wide awake. what would you do? keep going back up and tucking her in?

OP posts:
Original poster
guiltynetter · 24/12/2019 21:30

the last time she shouted me she said she could see something in her stocking 🙈 bless her.

OP posts:
EspressoPatronum · 24/12/2019 21:31

Can you text an audio book or relaxation meditation for kids? YouTube have some...

PixieDustt · 24/12/2019 21:31

Oh bless her.
Have you tried reading a story?

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about these subjects:

Babies & sleep Children's sleep Families
Kittykat93 · 24/12/2019 21:32

Oh my heart melted reading this :) sorry no advice my ds is only just two so still has no idea!! Can she look at some books quietly until she feels tired?

Sleepthiefismyfavourite · 24/12/2019 21:32

That’s very cute Grin

Fluffiest · 24/12/2019 21:32

Give her some toys and say she can play in bed until she feels sleepy?

LauraAshleySofa · 24/12/2019 21:35

Play calming music at low volume with the lights out. Sit in the room and hold hands. It's only one night, it won't spoil your usual bedtime routine. It's too much to expect her to sleep easily on such an exciting night. How lucky is she that she still feels the magic.

PixieDustt · 24/12/2019 21:37

Forgot to say my mum for my
Little sister used to do the whole track Santa I think it was called NORAD? That helped her get to sleep quicker

user764329056 · 24/12/2019 21:39

Sing to her and stroke her head

Allmyarseandpeggymartin · 24/12/2019 21:45

Tell her a secret - Santa can’t tell if you’re asleep or pretending to be asleep. So all she needs to do is to lie still and close her eyes and wait...

Original poster
guiltynetter · 24/12/2019 21:53

I've tried sitting with her for a while but it makes it worse because she just keeps talking 🙈 I've told her she can look at some books for a while. I really want to go to bed myself, I'm shattered! but obviously I can't get the presents out yet. she's so cute.

OP posts:
MsJaneAusten · 24/12/2019 21:57

I gave up and lay next to DS. He’s just drifting off so I’m about to hug and roll...

TiffanyTrot · 24/12/2019 22:01

Don't think for a moment it'll be over any time soon. My youngest is 13 and almost beside himself with excitement HmmGrin

delilahbucket · 24/12/2019 22:04

Hopefully she's asleep now but I always put on some boring documentary and it makes ds sleepy. iPlayer is full of them.

ParkheadParadise · 24/12/2019 22:06

Mines the same.
She's 4 and always a great sleeper.
She's now shouting down the stairs She's forgot to tell us something really important

Pinkflipflop85 · 24/12/2019 22:08

My 5 year old has a body that is too excited so I'm sat next to him in his room hoping it calms down soon! I still have so much to do and I want some sleep myself before the baby wakes up.

frogsbreath · 24/12/2019 22:10

I spent an hour and a half reading Christmas stories and finally singing away in a manger and silent night over and over with my seven year old. He kept thinking he saw stuff in his stocking and "something went by the window!" Grin

Thankfully I have patience as I too was like this Smile DH is on his third glass of wine and had taken his hearing aids out while I was singing

DodgeRainClouds · 24/12/2019 22:11

I’m sat with my 5yr old daughter for the 3rd time tonight. She said she can’t stay asleep as she needs to check her stocking Xmas Grin

lilmishap · 24/12/2019 22:12

Santa Tracker sent mine off to sleep within 5 mins, I'm not sure if that's what it's meant to do but it's a thing of genius anyway.

Original poster
guiltynetter · 24/12/2019 22:20

she's still wide awake. argh! when I was younger my mum would sometimes let me come downstairs for half an hour, have a piece of toast. that would help me. but we've built a dolls house! and I've bitten the carrot in half and eaten Santa's cookie 😂

OP posts:
MakeAWhish · 24/12/2019 22:21

Santa tracker also sent 2 of mine off to sleep but oldest woke 10 mins ago and came downstairs and nearly rumbled us! I had to jump up quickly and bring her back up. She had a bad dream. The Santa thing really freaks her out.

jaggynettle · 24/12/2019 22:25

Sorry, no advice as I am in the same boat! I secretly love it though. Just had to creep through the back garden to collect a bag of gifts my neighbour has been minding for me! I think this is the only night of the year DD is desperate to go to bed. Can hear her moving about so I know she's not completely out yet.

slipperywhensparticus · 24/12/2019 22:26

My six year old refused too we did the santa tracker crazy eating lady (asmr) finally the cat lay by him and purred him to sleep he tried sitting up but ash ramped up the volume and he slept 😽

NewName54321 · 24/12/2019 22:27

Let her watch out of the window.

You need her to get a little bit cold, then when she gets back into bed, her body temperature will rise which will help her drift off to sleep.

DontGoIntoTheLongGrass · 24/12/2019 22:34

Tell her to close her eyes and open them again slowly, repeating this and leaving them closed longer each time. Her eyes will grow heavy each time and finally she won't be able to open them. This really does work and had never failed me.