to just want a night's complete sleep without one of them fucking waking us up

[hooochycoo]

We have a four year old and a one year old, not a night passes without one of them waking up and waking the rest of us up. Why oh why can the pair of them not understand that bedtime is for sleeping? so utterly sick to death of it.

I does get better. I promise

Mine are now 13 and 10. I get up before them now.
Sometimes I go to bed before them.

Now if someone could just shoot the sodding pidgeon that sits outside my window from 5 am I would rejoice. . .

Me and my dh look back at the years if sleepless nights and wonder how the hell we got through it!

YANBU. Mine are 1 and 3 both still bastard wake up and other people look at me like I'm mad when I tell them. AND they then get up in the hour of 5. I look 10 years older than I did 3 years ago.

When mine were younger and I had been disturbed at least 3 times a night for 2 years, we decided to try something.

We put a small single bed in our room and we put DD in it. We didn't have another broken night, ever. She slept completely through.
I did however got some very funny looks from people who thought I was mad and that DH might leave me.

But I didn't give a shit because we were all getting some sleep. She stayed there for about 10 months and then moved in with her Dsister. I would seriously recommend it if you're at the end of your tether.

Lol at TheFowl we get woken during itchy bottom attacks as well.

5 and 2 Here also, no decent nights sleep since Ds,1 was born. Every night without fail Ds 1 wakes for a pee then comes into our bed, bounces around, moans and goes to sleep. Then Ds2 wakes at 6 on the dot, will go back to sleep but only after a feed and cuddle with me clinging onto his bed, by the time that's done Ds1 is usually awake and needs company. Yawn. Hello another lovely day.

But why do they still have so much fucking energy when they've been up alllllll night?

So glad it's not just us. 3.5 yo and 7mo - 3.5 yo wakes at least once and 7mo wakes 3-4 times a night. Knackered doesn't even start to describe it.

Same here, have a 12 month old and a 3.5 year old. 12 month old wakes sometimes for around 2-3 hours during the night

A friend with older kids once gave me sage comfort, "you'll get nights which are so stressful you'll want to kill the kids, but luckily these won't be the nights you're DP will want to kill them."

I know it's a bit morbid, but I knew she meant that when things are crap then it's good to share the burden (if possible!)

mine woke up most nights till they were about 4/5. that worked out as about 10 yrs in total. now the cat wakes me up.

Needles That is so true! And very good advice.

Mine are 3 and 6. We mostly get 5 nights unbroken, although last week DS woke up twice a night every night. I'm sure I am personally responsible for maintaining the ground coffee industry over the past 6 years.

It's so hard. the 3.5 year old is up once in night without fail and gets up for the day bang on 5.50am. 6 month old up and down all night at the booby buffet.

4 non-sleeping/staying in their own beds DC here. Eldest is 9. We've tried the mattress on the floor, and it was good for the 1 DC that could get in it. We are currently trialling the super king bed (fits 2DC&2adults or 1 adult +3 DC) and a spare double bed. Well actually the double is DC3's bed but she's never in it. That takes 3 people. There's a lot of bed swapping. Then DC4 is a frequent sub-6am waker. DC1 is an anxious child with ASD, DC2 will read under the covers for hours... I often dream of a quiet, empty hotel room with crisp white empty sheets on an empty bed in a quiet room and room service.

6 yo has slept through since a few months old but gets up at 6am, almost 4yo gets up every fucking night but then sleeps until 9.30/10 and 5 month old sleeps from 9pm-6.30am and has done since 2 weeks old.

They're like a well rehearsed tag team of torture.

My mum's tip was to buy two double beds!!! She said she and my dad would sometimes have a kid in a bed each, and sometimes creep out when we were both asleep with her into the other double bed!!

"you'll get nights which are so stressful you'll want to kill the kids, but luckily these won't be the nights your DP will want to kill them."

yes yes. last night was dh's night, who said to me, you's better go into him next time or i might tear his fucking head off' . night before was mine when I was thumping the pillow next to the screaming baby rather than the baby.

aaaaagh

"They're like a well rehearsed tag team of torture."

yes yes, and they also seem to know when the other one is actually sleeping well and wake them fucking up.

aaaaaagh

I'm sorry my bloody 8.5 year old hasn't slept a full night in her own bed since she was 2

YANBU. I feel your pain.

ElleBelly - your Worzel Gumnidge description just made me laugh, thank you.

We have 9 month twins, a 2 and 8yr old. The 8 yr old sleeps but the others take it in turns and wake each other up. The twins actually slept last night so my 2yr old decided to wake at 4am & screeched repeatedly that she needed the potty. She then changed her mind but persuaded me to sleep in her room & talked at me until morning.

The cleaner arrived about half an hour ago to see me still sitting in my bed, children around me, looking exactly like Worzel. I heard her outside whispering to my older DS: "Your mother is in there. I do not know if she is okay or not"

I'm with you. After 18 months of no more than an hours uninterrupted sleep at a time I've booked myself into a hotel for a night next week. Can't bloody wait!

YANBU.

Kids are cunts.

lol at tethersend

4yo dd and 15 month old ds get us up every night without fail. At least the 8yo and 7yo sleep soundly

let's bring back a slosh of rum in the bottle - they will be sound asleep!

it's hard, I sympathise!

jesus zing, you've got six? good god, that makes me want to cry.

I feel your pain. So sorry. Those years are very difficult. I promise it does get better. Mine are 6, 8 and 10 and I have had sleep now for over a year. Makes such a difference.

I know everyone says that when your children are little and cute that it is the best years and to enjoy them because they are so fleeting. But it is very difficult to enjoy them when you are so tired.

Sleep deprivation is hideous OP, I've been there. I don't know what to suggest apart from saying our 2 slept reliably through the night (barring illness) from around 2 and 4. The only thing which seemed to kick start the process for us was no daytime naps and plenty of exercise during the day. Now our eldest has started school we actually have to wake him in the morning!

The only reason we coped was because we had no choice. I just started going to bed really early (around 8) as it was my only option.

The last time I had a full nights sleep without being woken was 9½ years ago