Comments on: How do you get an 8 year old to go to bed at night? One who is a night owl? http://www.anzowls.com/how-do-you-get-an-8-year-old-to-go-to-bed-at-night-one-who-is-a-night-owl/ Sun, 21 Nov 2010 17:07:22 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Tony http://www.anzowls.com/how-do-you-get-an-8-year-old-to-go-to-bed-at-night-one-who-is-a-night-owl/comment-page-1/#comment-2393 Tony Thu, 11 Mar 2010 19:54:00 +0000 http://www.anzowls.com/how-do-you-get-an-8-year-old-to-go-to-bed-at-night-one-who-is-a-night-owl/#comment-2393 I'm guessing that she may get to sleep in, being home schooled. Try waking her up by 7AM as if she had to go to school in the mornings, no naps during the days until she goes to bed OK. You would be amazed at what a "WARM" cup of milk (not chocolate) at bedtime can do, I have one myself sometimes. Hope this helps. Tony ;-) I’m guessing that she may get to sleep in, being home schooled. Try waking her up by 7AM as if she had to go to school in the mornings, no naps during the days until she goes to bed OK. You would be amazed at what a “WARM” cup of milk (not chocolate) at bedtime can do, I have one myself sometimes.
Hope this helps. Tony ;-)

]]> By: flhomeschoolers http://www.anzowls.com/how-do-you-get-an-8-year-old-to-go-to-bed-at-night-one-who-is-a-night-owl/comment-page-1/#comment-2392 flhomeschoolers Thu, 11 Mar 2010 19:09:11 +0000 http://www.anzowls.com/how-do-you-get-an-8-year-old-to-go-to-bed-at-night-one-who-is-a-night-owl/#comment-2392 We have the same issue with our daughter. I could put her to bed at 9 PM every single night and at 1 AM she is still laying there silent, bored, and staring at the ceiling. Out of desperation (and my parents blasted me for this!) I told her she could stay up all night. I stayed up with her until morning (when my husband could supervise her) and then I took a nap. At 10 AM she was told she could have a short nap and was woken an hour later. She was put in bed at 9 PM that night (after playing at the park that day too!) and fell asleep by 11 PM. HUGE difference! We then woke her up at 7 AM the next morning. She still fights it but 2 hours improvement is still two hours!! We have the same issue with our daughter. I could put her to bed at 9 PM every single night and at 1 AM she is still laying there silent, bored, and staring at the ceiling.

Out of desperation (and my parents blasted me for this!) I told her she could stay up all night. I stayed up with her until morning (when my husband could supervise her) and then I took a nap. At 10 AM she was told she could have a short nap and was woken an hour later. She was put in bed at 9 PM that night (after playing at the park that day too!) and fell asleep by 11 PM. HUGE difference! We then woke her up at 7 AM the next morning.

She still fights it but 2 hours improvement is still two hours!!

]]> By: thatguyrighthurr http://www.anzowls.com/how-do-you-get-an-8-year-old-to-go-to-bed-at-night-one-who-is-a-night-owl/comment-page-1/#comment-2391 thatguyrighthurr Thu, 11 Mar 2010 18:16:19 +0000 http://www.anzowls.com/how-do-you-get-an-8-year-old-to-go-to-bed-at-night-one-who-is-a-night-owl/#comment-2391 smack her and, tell her ass ,if she doesnt go to sleep youll hit her with a boot dont b soft let her know whos boss smack her and, tell her ass ,if she doesnt go to sleep youll hit her with a boot
dont b soft let her know whos boss

]]> By: mamasmurf_50 http://www.anzowls.com/how-do-you-get-an-8-year-old-to-go-to-bed-at-night-one-who-is-a-night-owl/comment-page-1/#comment-2390 mamasmurf_50 Thu, 11 Mar 2010 18:06:14 +0000 http://www.anzowls.com/how-do-you-get-an-8-year-old-to-go-to-bed-at-night-one-who-is-a-night-owl/#comment-2390 My son is bipolar and we have been working on getting him to sleep at a decent hour for some time now. I understand your not wanting to use sedatives, as it was a LAST resort for me also. I did however have to use melatonin for my son this year however (he's nine). We did have other things work very well for us in past years. As others have mentioned, a good routine is key. I wasn't always able to be a stickler on the same time each night, but doing things in the same order around the same time worked very well for us. In first grade, I bought a sleep CD and he'd fall asleep with it every night. Soft classical music and Yanni also worked. In second grade, we watched IMax videos. This year we tried lavender baths and spraying lavender on his pillow along with a cup of warm milk (something in milk that promotes sleep (like in turkey) is activated when warmed) before brushing helped out a lot, but didn't solve the problem for us this year. I asked a similiar question last month and someone suggested trying a red or orange light. My son wasn't willing to try that, but it could help. Also turning out the lights an hour before bedtime is suppossed to start your bodies natrual production of melatonin. I also considered getting a guided meditation cd or video, but my son was against trying it. One last thing that did help me in the past was asking my son what he thought may help. He always tried to make sure his ideas were the ones that worked. I did try just about everything I could think of before trying the melatonin. It did work from the very first night. Maybe your daughter may respond to some of the things that worked for my son in the past. BTW they recomend bathing at least 1 hr before bed. I can't remember the specifics, but there is something to do with the bloodflow. It'd be like working out and then expecting to be able to go right to bed. Hope this helps you out!! I added some of the sites I found while trying to help my son in the source list. Good luck! My son is bipolar and we have been working on getting him to sleep at a decent hour for some time now. I understand your not wanting to use sedatives, as it was a LAST resort for me also. I did however have to use melatonin for my son this year however (he’s nine). We did have other things work very well for us in past years. As others have mentioned, a good routine is key. I wasn’t always able to be a stickler on the same time each night, but doing things in the same order around the same time worked very well for us. In first grade, I bought a sleep CD and he’d fall asleep with it every night. Soft classical music and Yanni also worked. In second grade, we watched IMax videos. This year we tried lavender baths and spraying lavender on his pillow along with a cup of warm milk (something in milk that promotes sleep (like in turkey) is activated when warmed) before brushing helped out a lot, but didn’t solve the problem for us this year. I asked a similiar question last month and someone suggested trying a red or orange light. My son wasn’t willing to try that, but it could help. Also turning out the lights an hour before bedtime is suppossed to start your bodies natrual production of melatonin. I also considered getting a guided meditation cd or video, but my son was against trying it. One last thing that did help me in the past was asking my son what he thought may help. He always tried to make sure his ideas were the ones that worked. I did try just about everything I could think of before trying the melatonin. It did work from the very first night. Maybe your daughter may respond to some of the things that worked for my son in the past. BTW they recomend bathing at least 1 hr before bed. I can’t remember the specifics, but there is something to do with the bloodflow. It’d be like working out and then expecting to be able to go right to bed. Hope this helps you out!! I added some of the sites I found while trying to help my son in the source list. Good luck!

]]> By: MommaBear http://www.anzowls.com/how-do-you-get-an-8-year-old-to-go-to-bed-at-night-one-who-is-a-night-owl/comment-page-1/#comment-2389 MommaBear Thu, 11 Mar 2010 17:18:25 +0000 http://www.anzowls.com/how-do-you-get-an-8-year-old-to-go-to-bed-at-night-one-who-is-a-night-owl/#comment-2389 Establish a bedtime routine, and pop her into bed at the same time every night. She can read in bed, but she can't watch TV, play on the computer, talk on the phone, etc. That's the trick: You aren't telling her that she has to go to sleep -- but you're confining her activities to those that can be done quietly in bed. She'll at least be getting some rest -- and will probably fall asleep faster than if she's watching TV or playing on the computer. Establish a bedtime routine, and pop her into bed at the same time every night. She can read in bed, but she can’t watch TV, play on the computer, talk on the phone, etc. That’s the trick: You aren’t telling her that she has to go to sleep — but you’re confining her activities to those that can be done quietly in bed. She’ll at least be getting some rest — and will probably fall asleep faster than if she’s watching TV or playing on the computer.

]]> By: Dakota S http://www.anzowls.com/how-do-you-get-an-8-year-old-to-go-to-bed-at-night-one-who-is-a-night-owl/comment-page-1/#comment-2388 Dakota S Thu, 11 Mar 2010 16:37:33 +0000 http://www.anzowls.com/how-do-you-get-an-8-year-old-to-go-to-bed-at-night-one-who-is-a-night-owl/#comment-2388 i had the same problem. we'll be tired l8r. just get her into a routine. i had the same problem. we’ll be tired l8r. just get her into a routine.

]]> By: Ethel http://www.anzowls.com/how-do-you-get-an-8-year-old-to-go-to-bed-at-night-one-who-is-a-night-owl/comment-page-1/#comment-2387 Ethel Thu, 11 Mar 2010 15:39:04 +0000 http://www.anzowls.com/how-do-you-get-an-8-year-old-to-go-to-bed-at-night-one-who-is-a-night-owl/#comment-2387 bec is right - start waking her up. And get her out during daylight, preferably early in the day (like before 11am). Shoot, you couldn't stay in bed in my mom's house (you can try but you won't be able to sleep) and all of us like to get to bed around 8:30pm. She'd drag us out, throw water on us, and generally make a lot of noise - there was no avoiding waking up around that woman. But make sure she gets some daily exposure to natural lighting early to late morning, it will help reset her clock. If she has a problem tell her that she can do what she likes when she is both over 18 and out of your house. bec is right – start waking her up. And get her out during daylight, preferably early in the day (like before 11am). Shoot, you couldn’t stay in bed in my mom’s house (you can try but you won’t be able to sleep) and all of us like to get to bed around 8:30pm. She’d drag us out, throw water on us, and generally make a lot of noise – there was no avoiding waking up around that woman.

But make sure she gets some daily exposure to natural lighting early to late morning, it will help reset her clock. If she has a problem tell her that she can do what she likes when she is both over 18 and out of your house.

]]> By: RetroDiva65 http://www.anzowls.com/how-do-you-get-an-8-year-old-to-go-to-bed-at-night-one-who-is-a-night-owl/comment-page-1/#comment-2386 RetroDiva65 Thu, 11 Mar 2010 15:32:05 +0000 http://www.anzowls.com/how-do-you-get-an-8-year-old-to-go-to-bed-at-night-one-who-is-a-night-owl/#comment-2386 Does she have a bedtime routine? Are you consistent with bedtime? If the answer is no, then you probably need to start getting your child on a schedule. Make sure she's not eating or drinking anything that might make her stay up longer(caffeine, power drinks, candy, you get the idea). Dinner at a certain hour, bathtime, and bedtime at certain times. Have her brush her teeth right before bed, get her in pj's and read a bedtime story to her(or let her read it, since she's old enough to read). Then give her goodnight kisses, and tuck her in. Do this every night at the same times, and make sure you let her know that she's to stay in bed. If she can't sleep, you can allow her to read another book, but she should try to close her eyes and rest. Make sure she doesn't have a TV or radio going in her room, that doesn't allow for restful sleep. Hope this helps. Does she have a bedtime routine? Are you consistent with bedtime? If the answer is no, then you probably need to start getting your child on a schedule. Make sure she’s not eating or drinking anything that might make her stay up longer(caffeine, power drinks, candy, you get the idea). Dinner at a certain hour, bathtime, and bedtime at certain times. Have her brush her teeth right before bed, get her in pj’s and read a bedtime story to her(or let her read it, since she’s old enough to read). Then give her goodnight kisses, and tuck her in. Do this every night at the same times, and make sure you let her know that she’s to stay in bed. If she can’t sleep, you can allow her to read another book, but she should try to close her eyes and rest. Make sure she doesn’t have a TV or radio going in her room, that doesn’t allow for restful sleep.
Hope this helps.

]]> By: psalm http://www.anzowls.com/how-do-you-get-an-8-year-old-to-go-to-bed-at-night-one-who-is-a-night-owl/comment-page-1/#comment-2385 psalm Thu, 11 Mar 2010 15:27:14 +0000 http://www.anzowls.com/how-do-you-get-an-8-year-old-to-go-to-bed-at-night-one-who-is-a-night-owl/#comment-2385 have a routine, something like: dinner, cleaning up (her not dishes), bedtime story or song, warm milk dim light or no light at all, close door & bed.....even if she doesn't go to sleep immediately as long as she stays lying in bed....this will teach her that bedtime is bedtime and she will eventually sleep (I hope :D). have a routine, something like: dinner, cleaning up (her not dishes), bedtime story or song, warm milk dim light or no light at all, close door & bed…..even if she doesn’t go to sleep immediately as long as she stays lying in bed….this will teach her that bedtime is bedtime and she will eventually sleep (I hope :D ).

]]> By: babeegurl494 http://www.anzowls.com/how-do-you-get-an-8-year-old-to-go-to-bed-at-night-one-who-is-a-night-owl/comment-page-1/#comment-2384 babeegurl494 Thu, 11 Mar 2010 14:51:08 +0000 http://www.anzowls.com/how-do-you-get-an-8-year-old-to-go-to-bed-at-night-one-who-is-a-night-owl/#comment-2384 Get into a routine. It may be a little rocky at first, but creating a routine will teach her the appropriate time to go to bed. It's important you get her into a schedule because she needs her sleep for school, etc (obviously) Your schedule can be anything, like dinner, homework, TV or reading, then lights out. I find reading calms them down the most so if she enjoys reading, have her get ready for bed at a set time then read in bed, after about a half hour you can go in and tuck her in, turn out the lights. Once she gets used to the schedule, she will adjust to it. Get into a routine. It may be a little rocky at first, but creating a routine will teach her the appropriate time to go to bed. It’s important you get her into a schedule because she needs her sleep for school, etc (obviously)
Your schedule can be anything, like dinner, homework, TV or reading, then lights out. I find reading calms them down the most so if she enjoys reading, have her get ready for bed at a set time then read in bed, after about a half hour you can go in and tuck her in, turn out the lights.

Once she gets used to the schedule, she will adjust to it.

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