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Behaviour/development

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DD started school this week, need some advice on the subsiquent nighttime behaviour.

5 replies

HettyAmaretti · 25/11/2011 08:29

Where we are DC start school immediately after their 4th birthdays, mornings only for the first few weeks. DD's birthday was last weekend so on Monday morning she trotted off to school, proud as punch.

She's loving it and it's going really very well. She's tired when I collect her at lunch time but doesn't appear to be exhausted, she isn't usually upset at drop off or while she's there.

But since she started she's being very difficult at bedtime and in the night, needing us to cuddle her to sleep and then waking (frequently) through the night. She can only be settled by co-sleeping. She's always been a difficult sleeper - didn't sleep through until 2 1/2 - and at times it was definitely fucking about/ learnt behaviour rather than there actually being something wrong.

Anyway, what with the massive change and all the excitement of her birthday weekend before that she's utterly knackered. As are DP and I after a week of broken nights (amazing how quickly you get used to having sleep hey). There's no chance of her having a nap after school, she just wont. She does have a rest while DS (2 1/2) has his nap but as soon as he's up they're both wild as anything, which tires her out even more.

I feel one of us should just sleep with her for reassurance until she feels more settled, although I am worried about getting her out of it again afterwards. DP thinks the demands to co-sleep are class A Fucking About and we need to get it sorted before it becomes a problem (again). That said, he slept with her last night.

So, what do you think? How can we best handle this?

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HettyAmaretti · 25/11/2011 11:20

That'll teach me to post on-topic Wink

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HettyAmaretti · 25/11/2011 13:21

Anyone?

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justonemorethread · 25/11/2011 13:26

Hi!
I think it's normal to be honest, lots of people were talking about this when most dc's started reception in September, you would have had more answers then!

My dd was a bit like that, enjoyig school but getting overtired. I'd say that the beginning is hard as there is so much for them to take in and so much whizzing through their head - imagine if you started a new job that was full on but exciting, at the beginning your head would still be swimming by bedtime with thoughts of what tomorrow will bring and what happened today.

I'd say just to give her some food as soon as possible, an earlier than usual dinner and start bedtime earlier than usual, with more chance to wind-down. All easier said than done with a younger DS (me too) but still worth trying.

justonemorethread · 25/11/2011 13:28

we let her sleep with us until she settled by the way, but we're lucky she's always been happy in her own bed so went back to it quite easily (not the same with dd2 may I add!)

HettyAmaretti · 25/11/2011 14:42

Thanks!

Will just keep sleeping with her I think, this too shall pass and all that.

I'll get digging in the archive then - it's just always so hard to find the right search terms.

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