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The Adventures of Motherhood with Twin Boys

The Adventures of Motherhood with Twin Boys
Love, Hugs, and a few Tears
About mom2twinboys


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February 01, 2008
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February 21, 2010
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Going Insane!
No matter what time Brodie goes to sleep, anytime between 7PM - 8PM, he still wakes up between 4AM-5AM.  He wakes up screaming, saying "up, up, book, book."  I rush him down the hall, out into the playroom, as far away from his room, so he doesn't wake Lucas up.  If its before 5AM we sit in the dark on the couch and he rolls around hurting me, while I try to keep him quiet.  I tell him its still dark outside, its still night, Daddy & Lucas are sleeping so we have to be quiet.  He gets frustrated and continues to insist I read a book or let him watch bike videos on YouTube. 
Once 5AM rolls around, we read books, sing songs, and occasionally watch YouTube. 
I;ve tried to get him to go back to sleep, but he just screams, throws a loud tantrum, and wakes Lucas up. Then I have two grumpy kids hanging out with me before 5AM...and this makes for a very long day.

I know what I'm doing is not working...and its definitely not helping Brodie learn how to fall back asleep, and not helping him learn it is too early to wake up.  I would like to help him learn that when its still dark outside, its sleepy time, and he needs to go back to sleep or stay in his room quietly.

Yes, I know I'm being taken advantage of by my kids. But up until last night, I just wasn't ready to deal with reality.  I had to reach my breaking point.  And I have more than reached it!

I get so frustrated that I just want to put him back in his bed, tell him its night time, and shut his door....and let him work it out.

The result would be:  Lucas being woke up, and both of Brodie and Lucas crying, screaming and throwing hysterical tantrums, rolling around on the floor, hitting their heads on the floor (they can both be dramatic at times), climbing up and anything they can possibly reach.....until I open their door.  I'll still be awake, my husband will be awake, and I the only thing that I will have accomplished is not having to sit on the couch in the dark with Brodie rolling /climbing all over me for an hour...I forgot to mention that he bites me, head butts me...and just plain thrashes me.   No fun at all for either of us!  He usually ends of waking Lucas up with all his commotion anyway. 

On a good morning, Brodie wakes up at 5AM and we read and sing songs until Lucas wakes up around 6AM-6:30 AM.  Yes, that means I might have to sing songs for over an hour, and amazingly Brodie sits there content.  He has a song book with 40 songs that he really likes right now.  I end up with these silly songs stuck in my head all day, and night if I can't block them out. 

This is only one of our problems related to sleep.  The other ongoing problem is I can't get either Lucas and Brodie to fall asleep in their toddler beds.  We are walking them to sleep in the stroller or driving them to sleep in the car.  I know this is a temporary solution, and I know I need to stop.   Honestly, I don't know what to do.  I am gratful for the suggestions received thus far.  But the suggestions either haven't worked or just will not work in our house.  ie: 1) put Brodie in a time out bedroom separated from Lucas.  His reward would be to return to his own bed in the same room with his brother.  The only extra room in our house can not be emptied at this time. 2) separate Lucas and Brodie by putting them to sleep in different bedrooms.   I know this won't work for us.....they like being together, so I want to respect their bond. Again the only extra room we have can't be emptied right now.  3) for nearly a month I tried sitting with each of them next to their beds.  Every time they got out of their beds, I told them to go back to bed.  One would get out, then the other one would get out.  Lucas and Brodie would get in and out of their beds over and over and over.  I tried a combination of staying in their room and leaving their room.  It didn't make a difference whether I was there or not.  Each week worsened rather than improve, and as we neared 4 weeks it was taking over an hour to get them to go to sleep....One night it took 1 1/2 hours....and that is when I just gave up and started walking or driving them to sleep. 

I am open to more suggestions or possible solutions.  In the meantime, I'm losing my sanity...not to mention I am sleep deprived.

I have the next couple of days to figure out a plan.  Starting Monday morning nap time/bedtime boot camp begins at our house. 
3 comments from 3 users

1

posted by ToscaSac on Jun 20, 2009 at 03:00 PM
I haven't been reading along with your trials so sorry if I repeat or get off track based on things that are already known.

I read that you want both boys to fall asleep together in their own beds but since that isn't working what about separating them and letting them fall asleep then moving the other one?

Do the boys need bed times? I can't tell from what you've written. And I am not talking about "well of course children need bed times" I am talking about what happens if you just let them stay up and fall asleep naturally.
Are they so cranky destructive and irritable that you can't survive it? Do you just want that adult alone down time that is supposed to come after kids go to sleep?

I didn't give my dd a bed time until I put her in school for the first time last year and she was 11. After she didn't need to be nursed to sleep I just let her fall asleep when and where ever she wanted in the apt and then carried her to her own bed later.

In more recent years she learned to go to bed when tired or I would tell her ok it's after 11 perhaps it's time but not much more than that.

You might just have an early riser on your hands. I myself prefer staying up late to getting up early but there are plenty of early bird types who like to greet the sun.

HUGS sorry hun just throwing out some thoughts that occur to me right now.
posted by patiencengrace on Jun 22, 2009 at 10:18 AM

What about trying a later bedtime?  Would Brodie listen to music playing softly?  Or a recorded story?    A frustrating thing about this is that the undesired behavior is getting rewarded.  If only you could quietly slip Lucas into your bedroom and let him continue to sleep, while letting Brodie's screaming go unrewarded.

 

posted by mom2twinboys on Jun 22, 2009 at 08:46 PM
Thanks for your suggestions.  I'm going to try a later bedtime. 
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