I Am Your Toddler's Brain at Bedtime
An inside look at your 2 year old at bedtime.
By SCOTT HANSON
Hi. Your child’s brain here. Bedtime, you say? Let’s get something straight. If I don’t sleep, nobody sleeps, capeesh?
So this can go easy, or this can go hard. Your choice. There are some things I require.
Number one, I am a creature of habit. I like it when things are the same night after night. So, you want me to calm down? Fine. I need the same things at the same time every night. EVERY night. So if you want me to go to sleep by myself without you there, don’t lay down with me “sometimes”. I don’t do “sometimes”.
Number two, if something’s around me when I go to sleep, I tend to think I NEED that thing so I can fall asleep EVERY night. It might be my stuffed animal, my blanket, or you. And if it IS you, you’re in for a long night because…
“This can go easy, or this can go hard. Your choice. There are some things I require.”
Number three, when I wake up in the middle of the night, I look around to see if all of those things I require are still there. If anything’s different, here come the waterworks. Maybe my stuffed animal fell on the floor. You’re going to hear about it until everything’s put right again.
Which means if I’m used to you laying down with me, or letting me fall asleep in your bed, well, we’ll need to do those things all over again for me to get to sleep again.
And number four, if I get in the habit of falling asleep quickly on my own at the BEGINNING of the night, I won’t make a ruckus in the MIDDLE of the night. I’ll just fall back to sleep. Yes, there are steps you can take to make that happen! So those parties we’ve been having at 2:30 and 4:30 every the morning will be just happy memories. Good times.
Now you come to me with this Hush Buddy. I think we can be friends. It provides me with something I like very much which is some light in my room. And after that story you read to me about it, I feel even closer to my glowing associate. I know as long as I’m quiet, it will deliver the goods light-wise. So don’t be alarmed if I scream a little less for you at bedtime. My Hush Buddy friend doesn’t like when I do that.
One last thing. The more sleep I get now, the better I’ll develop and the healthier I’ll be on through my school years. So perhaps you, me and my Hush Buddy are in for a long and beautiful relationship.
See you at bed time, bubby.
Sincerely,
Your Child’s Brain
MORE SLEEP FOR YOUR TODDLER
(AND YOU!)
