I suppose one question might be: how many hours do you spend attempting to get your child to nap before you give up? Is three two many? Because really, at a certain point, you lose track of the goal (sleeping child), and find you've arrived in a twilight zone of repetitive Twinkle Twinkles and monotonous rocking and while you've put YOURSELF to sleep, the child is still awake.
Hmmm, yes, life after jet lag in a new country in a new place with a two year old who's never been in a twin bed before! Most of the past few days has been spent getting the children to sleep, being infuriated that they aren't, and resorting to pathetic methods of bribery because my own coping skills are so poor due to the time change and lack of sleep and the fact that my children will not go to sleep! (You see the terrible circle in all this.)
I'm sure it will get better. In the meantime, my son has been threatened with nothing to eat for a day but cucumbers (my husband's idea), and my daughter, who doesn't have any idea what one is, has been threatened with a spanking. When asked: do you want a spanking? She replied: Yes, and started to giggle.
These are parenting methods that don't work. But what does? Day by day we try things out.
On the upside, it's fifty degrees here and windy and rainy. Maybe there's not just a time change, but a season change as well. This is good for a pregnant woman, I guess. I don't have to worry about swollen feet from the heat, but isn't it June?
Anyway, enough complaining. They have castles here. That makes up for a lot.
Sorry to hear about the sleeping issues. I know how much of a stressor that can be! My daughter JUST got into her own bed after 9 MONTHS of us rocking her to sleep and then putting her in bed with us in our bed. It is so nice to have a bed time for her and have her in her OWN bed. Same goes for nap time, she used to sleep on us but now we actually lay her down in her bed and she naps all by herself. FINALLY!! And it's such a relief - I can actually get stuff done now - AMAZING!! So, I know this is a little different than what you are going through but I can totally understand how a thrown off sleep schedule can stress one out. Hope things get better soon! Good luck! (And enjoy those castles)
ReplyDeleteIt's amazing how much of a life I feel I've had in the few hours between my children's bed time and mine. I always thought I'd end up a co-sleeper with my toddlers, but it ended about the 10 months (like you), and I treasure those two hours before I go to sleep for my solitary practices or time with my husband. I realize that now...as bedtime is so late and the children aren't napping and we are together ALL the wonderful time!
ReplyDeletei say, fine, no naps then, make them go tour those castles! after, they will be so tired, they will just pass out from the activity.
ReplyDeletetraveling with kids is an adventure in itself.
A treadmill. Or maybe a racing track with a candy bar for them to chase until they fall down, exhausted.
ReplyDeleteNew game: who can run down the hall and back the most times in 5 minutes?
or, in the worst case scenario, a nice mug of hot chocolate for them before bed - with just a splash of good English whisky. :)
Good luck. Hang in there.
The only trouble with those extra tired children? They act like monkeys on speed.
ReplyDeleteYou mean the spankings won't work?
ReplyDeleteOh sure, I always feel like taking a nice long nap after a good spanking... (snicker)
ReplyDelete