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Offline Jenn+Ethan+Emily

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3yrs 5 mths- a tired little boy
« on: September 17, 2012, 03:37:41 am »
Not really sure that there is anything I can do about this...but...

Ethan is 3yrs 5mths old and is actually sleeping quite well. However, his nap is dropped and he is doing between 12 and 13hr nights, but it's just not enough :( He is a mess in the afternoon and is so tired. At around 4pm, he starts begging me to let him nap (not actually sure that he would do it though ::) ). Come supper time (5pm) he is almost falling asleep in his food. He usually sleeps from about 5:45 or 6pm to between 6 and 7am.  I try and get him to nap on days when he starts waking earlier because of OT. He fights it and refuses. The only way he will nap is if is in the car and even that is becoming rare. Also getting him to nap in the car isn't easy when I have a 14month old who naps at different times. If he even falls asleep for 15 minutes, his BT is pushed out by at least two hours which obviously makes it seem pointless as he is getting less sleep then.

So how can I help him in the afternoon? He is so miserable! I don't know if it would be better to do some low key activities or to be busy to try and distract him. Or if anyone has BTDT, is there anything I can do with this to get him more sleep so he's not so miserable?
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Offline Tweakster

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Re: 3yrs 5 mths- a tired little boy
« Reply #1 on: September 17, 2012, 10:10:20 am »
Hmmm.  Between 12-13 hrs is actually great sleep for his age hon.  Have you had him for a check up lately, all his levels?  The other thing to consider is his quality of sleep.  Does he snore...could he have apnea or something else preventing him from a good quality sleep?  Any allergies or food intolerances?

Finn's not much older than Ethan, low sleep (or so he tells us lol) and only getting max 11.5 hrs with no nap.  Any length of nap and we get a 9 hr night...
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Offline *Becky*

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Re: 3yrs 5 mths- a tired little boy
« Reply #2 on: September 17, 2012, 12:19:32 pm »
yes we get 11.5 most nights now so 12-13 is great :)
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Offline Jenn+Ethan+Emily

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Re: 3yrs 5 mths- a tired little boy
« Reply #3 on: September 17, 2012, 12:36:02 pm »
No I know the amount of sleep is good! For sure. He's never slept this well. It just doesn't feel like enough for his little body. He doesn't snore. He does have some dairy intolerances. Most nights he sleep solidly. They have never checked his levels at a checkup. Is that typical there??? He has a Pediatrican appointment in a few weeks so I will ask him to do it.

Any ideas how we can manage his afternoon then? At this point, from about 2pm on, he's a monster. Just clearly unable to control himself. It feels so unfair to discipline him or whatever when I *know* he's only doing it because he's tired, but he also can't spend the afternoon hurting his sister :-\
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Offline *Becky*

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Re: 3yrs 5 mths- a tired little boy
« Reply #4 on: September 17, 2012, 12:41:21 pm »
yes, sorry Jenn -  I realise I did not answer your question!
we did quiet time with Henry. I made up a quiet time box with bits and bobs in that he only got at that time. I set his clock for 1 hour and he was expected to stay in his room for that time and play or sleep. Most times he played but he did surprise me occasionally. It meant he had downtime and so did I. Might that work?
Now we do a DVD and he is expected to stay on the sofa for an hour with the curtains drawn but you have no idea how hard it is to get him to do that.
We have the opposite, a boy who NEVER shows tired signs or will admit to being tired.
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Offline gogomama

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Re: 3yrs 5 mths- a tired little boy
« Reply #5 on: September 17, 2012, 12:43:38 pm »
Hugs, this 1-0 transition really is the hardest of them all in my opinion. For my DS a rather late short nap at 3 or so makes his nights better and gets him through the day. BT is pushed out till 8 or 9 but rather that than miserable nights. He does do the tired thing a lot too and I just bring a pillow to the couch and have him lay down..usually lasts about 2 minutes :) Does your DS do quiet time at all? That might allow him to mentally relax a little while in the PMs.
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Offline Tweakster

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Re: 3yrs 5 mths- a tired little boy
« Reply #6 on: September 17, 2012, 12:45:02 pm »
Will he do quiet time in his room?  Set him up with puzzles, or Lego or audio books or anything that might keep him quiet on his own for an hour or so?  Finn was an animal on the weekend and trying to fall asleep in the car so I wonder about the 3.5 year half birthday thing.

I think you should get things like iron and CBC checked - just to rule out a health issue.  How's his eating?  Does he have blood sugar regulation issues?  Finn does because all the darn carbs he eats and he's not getting enough protein and I know that doesn't help his mood and energy level :(
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Offline Jenn+Ethan+Emily

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Re: 3yrs 5 mths- a tired little boy
« Reply #7 on: September 17, 2012, 12:51:54 pm »
Oh that's a good idea. I have tried quiet time with him and it lasts for about 5 minutes before he is whining and crying ::) But that's just him in his room. I like the idea of something he only gets at that time. That might encourage him to stay there. He does better for quiet time when his sister is sleeping. When he can hear she is awake, things don't go so well. Add her running ans banging on his door everytime she hears him and it's a mess. I'll just put the hate at the end of the hallway and try this again! I will give that a try! Thanks.We have a big box of big kid Lego that I haven't brought out yet because of Emily but this is the perfect time to get use it.

I'll ask about the bloodwork for sure. That never even entered my mind but makes sense of course. He eats really well. I think that's about the only area we have never struggled with so we are lucky! 
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Offline ENMS

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Re: 3yrs 5 mths- a tired little boy
« Reply #8 on: September 17, 2012, 12:55:02 pm »
Just pitching in that my DD was always tired in the past few months, even if she napped, didn't nap, etc, and we ended up having her blood checked and she has an iron deficiency. She's been taking supplements now for 2 months and it's already better. She eats super well, very balanced, etc, so I don't understand how come she has a deficiency but I'm glad they did the test and that she's getting better.
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Offline Jenn+Ethan+Emily

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Re: 3yrs 5 mths- a tired little boy
« Reply #9 on: September 17, 2012, 13:58:41 pm »
That's great she's doing better Elise! Ethan has just always seemed tired :-\ I always thought it was down to the fact he never slept well. I have mentioned it to the doctor over the past three years and they have never even suggested it. So I will definitely make sure it happens.
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Offline Tweakster

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Re: 3yrs 5 mths- a tired little boy
« Reply #10 on: September 17, 2012, 14:14:34 pm »
Tom just shot me an email to tell me that even after Finn went back to sleep this morning (he was up at 4:30 to pee and then back to sleep until nearly 7:30) that he's STILL tired this morning, doesn't want to get off the sofa, being a miserable kid, telling Tom 'no' and all sorts.  Why are these kids so tired all of a sudden?  Time of year perhaps??  Is Ethan going to school yet?
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Offline Jenn+Ethan+Emily

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Re: 3yrs 5 mths- a tired little boy
« Reply #11 on: September 17, 2012, 14:41:39 pm »
Yeah I don't know! Maybe it's the half year thing? No school for Ethan yet so it can't be that. I just don't know!
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