An "Overtired" Child is a Cruel Joke on Parents

Here's the scenario: For whatever reason, your child didn't get a good sleep last night. Maybe she went to be late or maybe she woke up because of a tummy ache or maybe something else all together. Unlike most "reasonable" human beings who would sleep in if they had the chance, your child wakes up earlier than usual. But the reduced amount of sleep has taken its toll: crabbiness, sensitivity, tantrums... Several hours and a lot less patience later, some time before her scheduled nap, you see her rubbing her eyes. "Hmm..." you think. "If I put her to bed now, her whole schedule will be messed up!" As you are trying to decide whether or not to put her to sleep, you fold another load of laundry. Before you know it your child is running around in circles and climbing walls. Oh no, now you've done it! Your child is overtired!! Dum DUM dum!

Sound dramatic? Maybe... Maybe not. Something not unlike this happened to me and my 2-year old daughter Sarah this morning. After an incredibly frustrating morning, I was dying to put her down for her nap. Instead of falling asleep almost immediately as she usually does when we get things right, she was running around the room, jumping on the bed, and singing at the top of her lungs. So what do some sleep trainers generally recommend in a circumstance like this? I believe lock them up and let them cry-it-out (CIO) comes to mind.

Now, forget children for a moment. Have you ever been overtired? Maybe some night you were absolutely exhausted but for whatever reason you pushed through it until you caught your "second wind." What happens then? When you're finally ready to go to bed, you just can't seem to fall asleep! What do sleep experts recommend when you're having trouble falling asleep? Well, there are recommendations like cut back on your caffeine and avoid stimulating activities before bedtime. Then there's the common suggestion that you shouldn't stay in bed when you can't sleep; instead you should get up and do something boring or calming.

Funny how the recommendations for children and adults are so different. Now I'll be the first to admit that what works for adults doesn't always work for children. But sometimes we just don't see the connection between what a child experiences and what we as adults experience, usually because our children aren't able to clearly communicate what they are thinking and feeling.

In this case with Sarah, I let her get back up and ravage the entire house instead of just the bedroom. I encouraged her to try to slow down and read some books. Believe me, I wanted nothing more than for her to sleep and leave me with a few moments of peace. But it certainly wasn't her fault that she was full of energy and couldn't fall asleep. Finally, an hour and a half after I expected her to fall asleep, I saw her rubbing her eyes again and was able to put her to bed without a fight. Another day, another test of patience!