A thread for the SEN parents sat in their kids’ rooms waiting for them to go to sleep

[Brackhurst]

There is Baileys and gin downstairs. There is also a Barbie Dreamhouse to get in from the car, put together and attempt to wrap. But I imagine the Baileys will help.

Solidarity to the rest of you. May you have food and drink in your hand shortly. I was aiming for 9 but looks to be at least 9:30 at this rate. Good thing DC is one of the two best things in the universe 🥰

I'm doing exactly this! Daughter jumping up and down on bed shouting her head off! Little understanding so trying to calm her down but not really working and have so many presents to wrap!

This is me! Sat here waiting. One child went to bed really quickly. This one likes me to read (selected) Mumsnet threads to help them relax! 😂

@ForeverFriends32 that is gold. What sort do they prefer?!

@Rainbowsandbutterflies1990 can anyone help you wrap?

I am lucky, mine are now 10 and 13. 10 year old still believes in Santa and gone to bed early (will have to have a conversation soon as he will be off to secondary school next year)- he will be awake early but has been told to wait until 6.30 before he wakes us.

13 year old has been over excited all day, but I have managed to calm him down!

Both have ASD and ADHD.

Anything age appropriate that sparks an interest but she does get on a bit of a rant at some of them!

I obviously like it as for years I've spent sitting in their bedroom for hours trying to get them settled. Now it's something that we enjoy together 😁

Yes same here bedtime was 8, I predict another two hours messing about at least tonight before sleep. Good luck to everyone especially if you’re doing this alone as the main or only parent. I hope you can all have a treat and a break tonight in whatever form that takes for you. Wishing everyone a lovely peaceful Christmas Day tomorrow.

Love this! Teens are with their dad but want to sleep all of the time. 6 year old will not give up. ASD. I'm so tired and just need to get the santa shit sorted.

Yes I have my husband and my mum and dad staying over but husband is listening in for youngest to sleep, we divide and concor haha I'm usually with youngest bur she requested daddy tonight! Oldest I'm in with has stopped jumping and reasonably calm fingers crossed!

👋 sitting on my DD’s bed, waiting for her to settle. She doesn’t believe any more but is autistic and struggles with the change in routine at this time of year.

Turns out 9:30 here was optimistic as well, you’ll all be shocked to hear 😂

DH wants to eat, then sort the Dreamhouse then go to bed because it’s an extra early one tomorrow and we’re hosting two separate family groups through the day. I’m insisting we at least have half an hour chill when we get it. Will regret it tomorrow!

@ForeverFriends32 that is both hilarious and gorgeous.

It's been 1.5 hours and I know that by the time they're asking for Mumsnet threads that she's ready to settle. Sure enough, less than ten mins and she's out for the count! But she'll be up again by about 1am until about 6am.

My 9 year old is rarely asleep before midnight so I dread to think what it will be tonight. Thankfully she will entertain herself with podcasts and drawing so I might go to bed and set an alarm for 2ish to sort out stockings.

Ah my people... I'm sat with one who simply cannot stop talking. When he eventually gives in I'll have to gobto his sister and repeat the whole thing!

My daughter is 6 , 7 in jan she is non verbal autistic and serve learning disability, first year she hasn't screamed at santa and seems more interested than has in past , my youngest is 4 and very verbal getting assessed for autism and adhd and this is first year as parents we have child able to talk about santa and understand she is proper interested and super excited!

Waaah! We always read a night before christmas on christmas eve as a family. Big brother has gone out until midnight. So little brother (with SEN) cant sleep as its out of routine

What they're supposed to be in bed?!

(Watching a Christmas film here)

How early are we all allowing in the morning for stockings ?!

@SausageCasseroles I’m going with 6:30 but that entirely depends whether older DC goes and wakes younger one up first…

My one has only just fallen asleep. I could have given them a dose of circadin but I wanted them to enjoy their own excitement. Bedtimes are horrible as it is, if I'm going to be up late it may as well be with a happy excited child rather than what we normally get.

DD age 5 is autistic & has basically been waiting all day for Father Christmas. She doesn’t want to do anything or go anywhere in case she misses him! She is a complete night owl & has been since about 18 months. She goes to sleep around midnight but on the plus side she wakes at 10am. So we’ve still got hours to go! Good luck all 🍸

DS (ASD) is ill and has been screaming most of the day feeling unwell :( Been trying bed for an hour but no luck yet and was maybe optimistically early, even with new melatonin prescription. DD has been having tantrums all day and now wants to chat non stop 🙄 Can't believe our adult prep won't begin til 10:30 at this rate! 😴

Thank u for this thread. I'm luckily at the end due to my dd being 14 and ds 11. The 11ys old is asd.

Spent many years on the bloody floor wishing he would settle so I can do grown up Xmas things and wrapping. I've fell asleep on the couch before now and walked him up like a zombie to bed. Then had to finish the Xmas "fun"

This year he admits no father Xmas. But it also means half the stuff I have bought him he has then tried to buy with his pocket money and money for jobs for his nan.

So 2 presents have had to been given early to save meltdowns.

But I had no fucking elves to do this year thank god. Haha

Sending love to all on floors holding hands. Praying for sleep. And it does get easier. Xx

Our first Christmas with melatonin ♥️ it has changed our lives, we’ll probably still have a heated debate at 3am but it helps even on exciting days.

DS (5, non-verbal ASD) definitely understands more this year (last year was first he had any understanding).
Watched Arthur Christmas, which was the film that helped him "get it", and tracked Santa on norad before he went down easily.

Newborn another story though.

By the way would people recommend melatonin? DD was only diagnosed in the summer but has always struggled with sleep. She really struggles to wind down. That being said once she’s asleep she sleeps fairly well for about 9.5-10 hours which I know is good. And some people have said melatonin can cause nightmares/ headaches. She isn’t attending school at the mo anyway due to burnout so the late nights aren’t a disaster for us.

Thank you for this thread. I'm sitting here feeling sorry for myself as DH, my Dad, the in-laws and the cat are all downstairs in the warm and I've been up in the draughty attic waiting for my 8yo to wear herself out for two hours. DH keeps offering to bring me things but if she sees or hears him it's back to square one.

Thankfully I don't have anything to do except fill the stockings as the in-laws took the children out earlier and we got all wrapping finished.
Sending solidarity to you all!