Posting in the toddlers sub b/c my daughter has been an inconsistent sleeper since I can remember. She's almost 4 1/2 now and she can't naturally fall asleep before 11 PM. She has undiagnosed ADHD (it runs in the family - my husband and I have been diagnosed, and her older sister has it also).
Her brain just doesn't know how to calm itself down. She's figured out how to open every type of bedroom lock that we’ve tried, and when we leave her alone in her room, she finds ways to do all kinds of mischievous things like sneak into the hallway and open all the Band-Aids, or pour hair products into bowls in her play kitchen, or cutting off her dolls hair.
Taking her to the playground beforehand, long walks, jumping on the trampoline - (anything that should tire her out) only seems to give her more energy. Rain sounds, white noise, and a dark room don’t seem to help either. She is always so tired in the morning of course because she doesn't get an adequate amount of time to sleep. Even if I lay with her at 8 o'clock, It takes the next 3 to 4 hours to put her to sleep.
Her pediatrician has advised us against melatonin because she wants her to learn to fall asleep naturally, but I've given it to her before, and it is slightly helpful. I don't want to use it consistently if it’s not beneficial to her health. I have also discovered that my daughter is a sensory seeker and probably needs to regulate herself before going to bed. I'm working on strategies for that now. Any other ideas for getting my daughter to bed at a more decent hour? I'm sure she's overtired, but when she has fallen asleep by mistake at 6-7 p.m., she wakes up at midnight.
This is honestly causing a huge issue in my marriage since my husband and I would like to get time to ourselves after the kids go to sleep, but there is virtually no time left after they pass out. Thanks for reading.
Her brain just doesn't know how to calm itself down. She's figured out how to open every type of bedroom lock that we’ve tried, and when we leave her alone in her room, she finds ways to do all kinds of mischievous things like sneak into the hallway and open all the Band-Aids, or pour hair products into bowls in her play kitchen, or cutting off her dolls hair.
Taking her to the playground beforehand, long walks, jumping on the trampoline - (anything that should tire her out) only seems to give her more energy. Rain sounds, white noise, and a dark room don’t seem to help either. She is always so tired in the morning of course because she doesn't get an adequate amount of time to sleep. Even if I lay with her at 8 o'clock, It takes the next 3 to 4 hours to put her to sleep.
Her pediatrician has advised us against melatonin because she wants her to learn to fall asleep naturally, but I've given it to her before, and it is slightly helpful. I don't want to use it consistently if it’s not beneficial to her health. I have also discovered that my daughter is a sensory seeker and probably needs to regulate herself before going to bed. I'm working on strategies for that now. Any other ideas for getting my daughter to bed at a more decent hour? I'm sure she's overtired, but when she has fallen asleep by mistake at 6-7 p.m., she wakes up at midnight.
This is honestly causing a huge issue in my marriage since my husband and I would like to get time to ourselves after the kids go to sleep, but there is virtually no time left after they pass out. Thanks for reading.
