Sleep is vexing in this household. For starters, the teen fell asleep at 6:30 and awoke at about 3:30. I’m pretty sure that model is unsustainable, but nine hours of sleep is nine hours of sleep and he might just make it to school on time. The three year-old napped. She was exhausted after her morning at preschool. And didn’t fall asleep last night until just after 10:30. I am dead certain this scenario—the evening that goes into the night part—is unsustainable, for me if not for her. The husband, fighting a cold, slept on the couch in the room off our bedroom. Sadly, I note that when there’s a door—and a room—between us, I am less likely to be awoken by his (loud) snoring.
I posted something to that effect on Facebook and learned that a deafening partner is some kind of undisclosed aspect of marriage, akin to the long list I’m compiling in my head of what they don’t tell you about parenthood (like, your three year-old might just be awake sometimes at 10:30 PM).
Oh, and the girl? She woke up at 5:30 in need of a band-aid for her bug bite. (Is she napping today? You betcha.)
Yes, it’s going to be a long day and quite obviously my personal get-enough-sleep campaign was a major fail last night. Add one more day to my hoped for heal-the-sty-completely (in part through rest). Rest is lacking.
Sigh.
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Beth Haxby—friend, former teacher of my kids—has started consulting about parenting and specifically sleep. Am I going to see her for some help? Heck, yeah. Meantime, she sent this email: try to hold onto the knowledge that you are working uphill in a climate/culture that doesn’t make room for sleep.
Okay, so I just want to point out that there are (at least) three things in my life that do not seem radical (but are?):
Trying to get some sleep.
Letting my kids walk and ride bikes without adult chaperones.
Yes, indeed-y. (And you thought I’d bring up something like longhaired boys).
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While I waited (and waited) for the little gal to fall asleep, I thought of three good things from my day (in order not to scream, truth be told) and surprised myself by finding it easy to do so (even while frustrated and exhausted): farmers’ market, (some) sleeping children, (some) camp forms in.
I should have added this: the too-giant-for-our-house television that’s been gathering dust in a hallway for a long, long, long time? It’s gone—thanks to Facebook, a friend who likes heavy things, and some neighborhood-y brawn, along with the friend’s friend bringing himself and his truck to help.
