I do have to brag that my kiddos have been great sleepers from a very young age! But that doesn’t mean that we don’t have setbacks and tired nights here and there. Recently we went through some sleep changes in our home.
Nightmares
It first started with our daughter having a nightmare. It is very rare for her to have them. Especially one where she didn’t want to sleep in her room. As a toddler, she had some night terrors and will sleepwalk when she is overtired.
A couple of months ago she had a nightmare that shook her so bad that she wanted us to sleep in her room with her. One of my biggest rules when working with families is to try not to get into a routine you don’t want to commit to. I personally love my sleep space and don’t want that interrupted by my children. However, I could tell that my daughter was really scared and needed some reassurance.
Helping her feel safe.
So, how did I keep our great sleep space and still comfort her? We decided that we would have a mother-daughter sleepover. Boy was she excited! So we blew up the air mattress and she helped make my new bed in her room. She thought it was the best thing in the world!
Did I sleep well? Nope, I sure didn’t. However, it made her more at ease and she had no new nightmares that night. She felt safe, but we still kept our sleep boundaries. That one night was all it took.
The dreaded nap transition.
Now to tired nights number two. My son recently transitioned from one nap to NONE. As a mother I have dreaded this day. The day that both of my kiddos are done with naps. Even as a Sleep Coach I was in denial and it took a little bit to admit it was time. He showed all the signs, not falling asleep at nap time or taking a long time to fall asleep at night when he did nap.
On the days that he did not nap, boy was he a grouch. I think this is my least favorite part. He is grumpy and has to be in bed early, which means I have to have dinner ready early. It makes everything a little bit more of a rush. Those first few weeks of the transition were tough and he was so tired.
Embracing this phase of life.
Now that we have made the transition I love this new phase of life! We can just go all day and not have to worry about stopping to take naps. We do quiet time every day so I know for sure I still get one hour to myself every day.
My kids are getting bigger. Though it is bitter sweet I know that they are great sleepers and that they are getting all the rest they need to thrive!
Tegan Kreider
Infant and Child Sleep Coach
