Sleepy Child, Sleepy Mother:
Tips to Help Your Child Sleep Better.
Tap tap!
I was swinging on a hammock swept by a cool breeze on the shores of some remote island, probably in Barbados or Tahiti, minding my own business, listening to the rhythmic crash of ocean waves, when the first set of rude knocks rattled my dream world.
Tap tap tap!
More than a bowl of vanilla ice cream; more than a pot of gold; more than a used Maserati sports car, or even a brand new, silver grey, Model S Tesla; what I wanted most at that moment– was to be left alone to enjoy my sleep. I’m that simple and easy to please.
I would gladly have offered one of my kidneys–to be removed at a more suitable time, of course. I would have given up my next paycheck for another minute of reverie on that heavenly island. All I wanted was to be left alone on my bed!
But what I got instead was a kick on my leg!
There was another tap on the door, and I felt another kick, and then a third kick. Each tap on the door earned me a fresh kick from my wife, and every subsequent kick got more forceful and insistent on my leg. This was my wife’s unique way of telling me to get the door without having to talk or lose her own place in her dream world.
The knock on the door continued. There were now two conniving forces determined not just to wake me up, but to get me out of bed to open the door!
What did I do wrong in my past life to deserve this trial and tribulation?
I desperately wanted to remain in my Island. I cried out to God to grant me relief from my present misery—Just five more minutes of blissful sleep, or a snooze button I could press—to take my hardship away and allow for a few more minutes of slumber.
“Open the door!”
It was my 5-year-old daughter’s faint voice, followed by a loud rattle on the door. She obviously didn’t have any qualms about banging on my door at 2 am. I sighed on my pillow. Unfortunately, children aren’t like clothes, once you have a child, you’re stuck with that one, you can’t return them back and ask for a different type.
But I held my ground. I pulled the blanket over my head, buried my face in the pillow, pressed my palms on my ears, squeezed my eyes shut, and begged for the noise to stop in Jesus’ name, for this cup to pass over me. But the kicks only got more painful as the sound got louder.
My wife and daughter were both relentless until they knocked the sleep out of my eyes and forced me to get up.
My daughter stood by the doorway, sobbing.
“What’s the problem?”
“I can’t sleep,” she said.
“You couldn’t sleep?”
She nodded and sent a fresh bead of tears trickling down her cheeks.
I felt like landing a good slap that would wipe off the tears from her sobbing cheek and send her to sleep. But I restrained myself and hugged her instead. I held her for a minute, confused about what to do. Lack of sleep isn’t like a boo-boo that can be bandaged away.
She didn’t like sleeping in the dark. “Did you leave your door open?” I asked. I went to the cabinet and picked up melatonin sleeping pills.
“This would make you sleep,” I said, slipping one chewable pill into her mouth.
I knew it was unnecessary because it takes a while for its effect, but I hoped it would have some placebo effect.
We went back to her room, and I noticed it was too warm. We had set the air conditioner to 75 degrees, to save money. I opened the window, adjusted the thermostat, and made my daughter comfortable. There were two nightlights in the room; I removed one. I also switched off the bathroom’s light because some reflection sipped under the door into her room.
Back on my bed that night, I tossed around to fall asleep. “Sleepy child, sleepy mother,” I thought, recalling an African proverb:
“A child who decides to keep his mother awake, will also have to keep vigil.”
I was hoping I’ll return to my hammock on my island, but I ended up elsewhere, which I can’t remember. I wish I had done my part to ensure my child’s room was more conducive to sleep.
But for all mothers who want to be left alone on their beds, Here are a few tips on how to get your children to sleep well at night.
Your Baby’s Comfort is Our Mission
Andrew Faniku MD
Andrew is a committed family man and pediatrician who is focused on improving your baby's comfort. In his spare time, he writes short stories and makes acrylic paintings.He is also learning to use social media. Please connect with him on social media.
