Evil is a new word in my house. Not sure why it has come about, however I have been trying to stop it's use. It has such horrible connotations, especially when applied to oneself. So what do I do? I go using it in a blog title. I figure I am justified for two reasons. First, while my kids are aware of my blog they do not read it. Second, it was the most polite word that I can think of.
Who thought it would be a good idea to mess with people's sleep cycles twice a year?
Last year I let J go on a father son campout with our church. Since he does not have a father he went with his scout leader, all the boys bound together. He had a blast and came home alive. He also did not take his medication and did not sleep. They forgot to make him go to bed. The adults wondered off to sleep leaving the boys up. Then the boys got tired and wondered off. Except J does not recognize the need to sleep in himself. Without regulation he just did not go to bed.
It took me a month to get his behavior and sleep patterns back on track. He also has not been back on a camp out, although we are working on the possibility in the future.
S goes through sleep patterns. She either sleeps ALL THE TIME, or does not sleep at all. I have never had her pattern regulated for eight hours of rest at night, and awake during the day. I do keep trying. Despite this, she does have a sleep pattern, just not a great one.
L goes to bed two hours after she gets her Seroquel at night. The fact that it makes her sleep is the only way that I have survived the anxiety. She does wake up bright and early though.
I often go whole nights where my children tag team me. J will not go to bed, S wakes up, and then it is time for L to be awake. When J was four I once went three weeks with an hour of sleep a night - he had no sleep. So, even though I am getting older I am still used to erratic sleep.
I spend so much time and effort getting my children to sleep, then a horrible day comes around and screws it all up. I want to stomp my foot and scream "IT IS NOT FAIR". But I am an adult so I will rant on my blog instead.
When my children were younger our prime hang out was an occupational, speech, and physical therapy office. With three children in multiple programs we were there A LOT. Most of my friends I only knew in that office.
Every year, twice a year, without fail parents would start complaining about their child's behavior. The waiting room would become a mad house. Parents were short tempered and children were out of control.
"I do not know what is going on," the parents would complain. "Little Johnny is so out of control lately."
At which point I would stair at them with a duh facial expression (which did not look any different then any of my other facial expressions) and say, "Do you think it has something to do with Daylight Savings?"
Then they would get that light bulb above there head (obviously, there really was not a light bulb).
After thirteen years I plan for the worse. L's Kindle Fire is packed in my purse so when she is even more non functioning when I pick her up she can decompress. Clothes are laid out in the morning, medication ready, and I have to stay on them constantly.
On Monday I logically explained to L why she was so tired. On Tuesday we were fifteen minutes late. Today, Wednesday, I knew it was going to be bad when I could not even bring myself to get out of bed. Then the alarm for the kids went off. No one would get out of bed. Everyone was dragging. And then a miracle. L decided to turn my cheering of "You can do it" into a competition with her brother. She decided that the first one completely ready won a prize. I amended it to a first, second, and third prize. Three kids all ready - win! L and J tied, I gave it to L since J was mean and stomped on his little sister's toes. S came in third, but by only a minute which is amazing. The child is half sloth.
We left the house ON TIME! The rest of the week will continue to be hard, but I have to say that even though my children are not nearly as independent as their ages would suggest - I love that they are getting older.
What were the prizes?
L got three apple juice ice cubes.
J got $.50 off the money he owes me for destroying stuff that did not belong to him.
S got $.25 off money she owes me for a new phone battery.
Totally worth it!
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