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Original poster

My 4 year old can't go to sleep.

16 replies

HalleLouja · 14/08/2012 22:08

Help!!!!!!

Its been really bad since he has been on school holidays. He is knackered. He gets taken out and runs around but can't sleep. We have tried all sorts but not got anywhere. I try to stay calm but can't always do so.

What to do? Help.

OP posts:
Notgrownupinmyhead · 14/08/2012 22:23

Mine is exactly the same. I have thought about Chloroform. Wink

I get the whole monsters, ghosts, toilet, teddy thing every bleeding night with him.

What time does he wake?

Original poster
HalleLouja · 14/08/2012 22:26

This morning 8 but usually around 7.30. I am distraught.

I am hoping school makes him sleep better. Pre school seemed to work. We are having a great holiday but this isdestroying me.

OP posts:
KickTheGuru · 14/08/2012 22:26

Do you do a "quiet time" before he goes to bed?

Being very active just before bed time will pump up adrenaline (for anyone!) and they battle to sleep.

Original poster
HalleLouja · 14/08/2012 22:28

Nothing has changed at bed time. Bath, yoghurt, story bed. No excitment. And yes we do stuff to keep him active. Also, doesn't seem to make a difference if he has a nap in the car.

OP posts:
Original poster
HalleLouja · 14/08/2012 22:28

Active during the day and not at bed time.

OP posts:
BertieBotts · 14/08/2012 22:33

Have you tried not asking him to sleep? Sometimes they get all stressed out at being told "just go to sleep!" because it's not really a conscious thing you can control, and they don't really understand that actually you're not asking them to fall asleep on cue, just that you're asking them to lie down calmly and quietly and close their eyes (or not) and just generally rest. (And then hopefully fall asleep! Grin) I find if I tell DS to go to sleep he gets all stressed out and comes up with all these different excuses reasons not to, even if I tell him to close his eyes, apparently they are broken Confused but if I tell him to lie quiet and still in his bed and I'll be up to check on him in a minute, he falls asleep really quickly.

KickTheGuru · 14/08/2012 22:39

VERY stupid question

Is it 0% yoghurt? I am a type 1 diabetic and have suddenly had to learn about the effect of sugar on the body and surprisingly, yoghurt is a no-no for me... Well, it's not but only if its 0%

Notgrownupinmyhead · 14/08/2012 22:41

Ds gets really really hyper at bed time and (Ive only been doing this at bedtime since last night) have put him to bed before he starts getting silly.

He wakes up when your DS does. Normally we cant calm him til gone 10.30/11pm so am putting him to bed earlier about 7pm and returning him when he gets out seems to be working. Before it was 8.30pm and me and DH ended up going to bed to get DS in bed.

Notgrownupinmyhead · 14/08/2012 22:42

Bertie - my legs are broken is a favourite excuse. Wink

FunnysInLaJardin · 14/08/2012 22:45

We thought of chloroform too tonight, or gin or medised. I think you have to go with the later nights during the holidays. Neither DS sleeps much before 9 and they are both up at 7am. They are 2.5 and 6. No matter how many 'early nights' we vow for them

Donki · 14/08/2012 22:49

Like Bertie, I find telling the Young Donk to stay in bed and lie quietly, and I'll come back in 5 minutes works a lot better than telling him to go to sleep.

On a couple of occasions when he has been a complete giddy kipper, and was saying he wouldn't be able to sleep, I ordered him NOT to go to sleep - and kept popping back to check that he was still awake. He thought it was very funny, but relaxed and dropped off after a couple of visits from me....

Franup · 14/08/2012 22:53

4 year old being similar here. Partly out or routine but more importantly woofing about starting score but not able to fully articulate or process it.

He is my third and have finally learnt not to underestimate the enormity of starting school to a 4 year old, even a confident and sociable one who loved preschool. The preschool he knows he will not go back to.

Anyway throwing it in the mix of reasons! I ambemg sympathetic but firm as well.

Original poster
HalleLouja · 15/08/2012 08:36

0% yoghurt?

OP posts:
Original poster
HalleLouja · 15/08/2012 10:09

He has Rachel's yogurts the baby ones so there shouldn't be too much sugar in those.

Maybe he is stressed about school. Definite possibility. I am going to try the sea shore cd which is a relaxation cd. I do often say no need to sleep just lie there and relax. I struggle to sleep sometimes if I am concentrating on it too much.

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Original poster
HalleLouja · 15/08/2012 21:08

Asleep before 9 today. Result.

No naps - no driving so no sneaky ones. A trip to the park with friends in the morning and a walk into the village in the afternoon. We had a lovely day too. I also cut out tv after tea. Obviously cutting out driving is not a long term thing. But then yesterday he didn't sleep in the car and still couldn't sleep. More activity than yesterday.

OP posts:
Notgrownupinmyhead · 15/08/2012 22:18

Excellent. Fingers crossed for you Grin

Apparently bananas are a good sleep food, contain Tryptophan I think it is.

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