Night Terrors....I've never experienced them before, but I have learned a lot about them in the last few weeks! Here are some things I've learned and put to use:
1. Anyone can have night terrors, but they are much more common in foster/adopted children. So, what is it? It is similar to a nightmare, but the person does not wake up during it. They can last 2-30 minutes, and they can be scary to watch!
2. You should not wake up a child having a night terror because it could make the situation worse.
3. You can't really prevent them, but they will eventually go away (so I'm told...we haven't gotten that far yet) with careful attention and encouragement.
4. You can break a night terror by taking the child to the bathroom. Apparently, they usually need to go anyway, and the act of having to do something brings them out of it a little bit - sometimes!
5. You should just reassure the child that they are safe and you are with them. You should also make sure they are in a safe area because they may pace or thrash around. They may have their eyes wide open but still be asleep!
6. If you can catch it as soon as it starts, it ends more quickly.
7. They usually happen 30-45 minutes after falling asleep - in the deep stage of sleep!
So, here is what I have figured out for our three year old! After being in our home for 5 weeks, we moved a twin bed into our room. His bed is about 3 feet from my side of the bed. His first night terror is usually 40 minutes after he goes to sleep. So, I am not in bed yet. However, moving him downstairs allows me to hear him sooner and get to him more quickly. I've been able to comfort him before he gets out of control.
I take him to the bathroom right away when I get to him.
By doing just those things, I have been able to cut the time from about 10 minutes to less than TWO minutes! And, I believe that has helped him to sleep through the night better. Before we moved him down, he was having at least one night terror each night AND waking up another 2-3 times each night! Not only was that a problem for him, but he was also waking up his 1 year old brother which made my night REALLY difficult! Now, he is rarely waking up after the first night terror!
This has been a great solution for us, and I think he is feeling much safer in our home. My hope is to be able to move him back upstairs into his bed in the next month or so!
Showing posts with label bedtime. Show all posts
Showing posts with label bedtime. Show all posts
Saturday, May 06, 2017
Tuesday, April 18, 2017
Adjusting to a New Home and Family of Seven
The boys have been here for two and half weeks now. They are part of our family, and we love introducing them to all of our friends and family. My parents are in love with them. My granddad thinks they are precious, and my sister can't wait to see them in person. They have called us mommy and daddy since the first day. The baby even loves naming everyone in the pictures - including my parents and granddad!
It has definitely been a roller coaster, but we are doing what God has called us to. So, we just remind ourselves of that when it gets difficult. Baby C is super snuggly and talkative. He definitely talks more than most kids his age. He has made a pretty smooth transition. He is very easy to put to bed. When I say "It's time to go night night.", he says "night night" and lays his head on my shoulder. He's usually asleep in 2-3 minutes, and I can lay him down in the bed with no issues! He wakes up many nights, but I just hold him for a few minutes, and he goes right back to sleep!
Big Brother has had a more difficult transition. He appears to have never had a bedtime routine before. He goes until he literally falls asleep. He prefers to sleep on the couch or floor, but I tell him each night that little boys should sleep in beds. He's started to get that the last few nights. However, the first week was ROUGH at bedtime! We tried to get him to bed for 2-3 hours every night. Some of those nights, we were holding him the majority of that time while he was fighting us, but we just gently whispered to him that it was time to go to bed as we bounced him around. By the end of the first week, I was able to rock him for 5-10 minutes without much push back. He still won't let me sing to him, and it's driving me nuts!! He doesn't want anyone to lay down with him, but he will let me sit in the rocking chair and watch him go to sleep. That is after I have rocked him for 5-10 minutes. I think he likes that now. He is definitely enjoying the attention!
The older kids are in love with both of the boys who really have a thing for Thomas! The older kids get up early in the morning so they can get dressed in time to play with the kids! Then, they play with them when they come home! That is so nice for me, but the little ones really look forward to seeing them at the end of the day!
We are currently struggling with the decision about whether or not to take baby sister who is due in 6 weeks. I'm just not sure I can handle it, but I want to make the best decision for everyone - not just me! It's hard to know how to pray, too! I really do believe that reconciliation is the best choice IF mom and dad can get their lives straight and provide a good home. However, I love these babies, and a good home just isn't good enough for my babies! I want a great home for them! A home where they are adored, trained to be great people, and taught to love God and love others - to be people who make a difference in the world! So, I am praying for God's will because no matter how much I think I know, God knows best and he loves the boys more than I do.
The adventure continues.
It has definitely been a roller coaster, but we are doing what God has called us to. So, we just remind ourselves of that when it gets difficult. Baby C is super snuggly and talkative. He definitely talks more than most kids his age. He has made a pretty smooth transition. He is very easy to put to bed. When I say "It's time to go night night.", he says "night night" and lays his head on my shoulder. He's usually asleep in 2-3 minutes, and I can lay him down in the bed with no issues! He wakes up many nights, but I just hold him for a few minutes, and he goes right back to sleep!
Big Brother has had a more difficult transition. He appears to have never had a bedtime routine before. He goes until he literally falls asleep. He prefers to sleep on the couch or floor, but I tell him each night that little boys should sleep in beds. He's started to get that the last few nights. However, the first week was ROUGH at bedtime! We tried to get him to bed for 2-3 hours every night. Some of those nights, we were holding him the majority of that time while he was fighting us, but we just gently whispered to him that it was time to go to bed as we bounced him around. By the end of the first week, I was able to rock him for 5-10 minutes without much push back. He still won't let me sing to him, and it's driving me nuts!! He doesn't want anyone to lay down with him, but he will let me sit in the rocking chair and watch him go to sleep. That is after I have rocked him for 5-10 minutes. I think he likes that now. He is definitely enjoying the attention!
The older kids are in love with both of the boys who really have a thing for Thomas! The older kids get up early in the morning so they can get dressed in time to play with the kids! Then, they play with them when they come home! That is so nice for me, but the little ones really look forward to seeing them at the end of the day!
We are currently struggling with the decision about whether or not to take baby sister who is due in 6 weeks. I'm just not sure I can handle it, but I want to make the best decision for everyone - not just me! It's hard to know how to pray, too! I really do believe that reconciliation is the best choice IF mom and dad can get their lives straight and provide a good home. However, I love these babies, and a good home just isn't good enough for my babies! I want a great home for them! A home where they are adored, trained to be great people, and taught to love God and love others - to be people who make a difference in the world! So, I am praying for God's will because no matter how much I think I know, God knows best and he loves the boys more than I do.
The adventure continues.
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