I’ve dreaded writing this, because if the words come out they make it real, but I can’t take it anymore, I have to let it out. My child is an insomniac.
There have been several nights that he’s been up until midnight and slightly beyond.
Now, before you judge me, hear me out. We have a bedtime routine and it starts out around 6:30pm. We have dinner, we watch one episode of the insidious Max and Ruby or Blue’s Clues (his choice), he has a bath, we read 1-3 books at which point he appears to be sleepy. But then…as he’s lying in bed next to me (because as I’ve mentioned in previously, we co-sleep) he starts off whispering:
“I hungry.”
It gets progressively louder until he is audible and finally loud.
Then he says:
“Sandwich.”
I’ve tried both giving him the sandwich or ignoring his pleas. But both result in further sleep rebellion.
In addition to saying he’s hungry, he also demands to switch sleeping locations. He’ll be in the bedroom and demand to sleep in the living room on the couch with me. I’ve recently flat out refused, made him stay in the bed.
He also will try to stay awake by demanding more and more books to be read to him.
Now, you might say:
“Get him in his own bed! He’ll sleep better!”
My response:
1. Sure, that would be nice, but guess what? I’m nine months pregnant and too tired to deal with that process.
2. Many families successfully co-sleep, and their kids don’t appear to be insomniacs. Why is my kid refusing to sleep?
You also might suggest, get him into bed at 8pm and ignore his pleas.
My response:
1. Could you ignore your kid who is right next to you and either screaming or asking the same question over and over again?
2. I’ve already done sleep-training and I don’t have the emotional energy to do it again.
3. Please remember, once again, the constraints of my current physical condition. I’m 174 lbs and there is a human incubating in my uterus.
So I ask you, what are my options? And please don’t judge me. I already feel like the worst parent. I need some practical advice to get my kid sleeping.