MillyRad Posted December 28, 2011 Posted December 28, 2011 We have a small house so my two kids sleep in the same room in a bunk bed. My little girl is 5 and my little boy is three. My little boy keeps waking up, crying, almost every night. I think he's having nightmares, because when I'm able to rouse him a bit more and get him to open his eyes, he starts to calm down. But, by that time, his sister is awake, complaining about the noise, and angrily stomping down the hallway to get into bed with my husband. Any suggestions on how to help everyone get a good night's sleep?
Forever Learning Posted December 28, 2011 Posted December 28, 2011 I bought a sleep machine at Radio Shack, it makes 'white noise' which sounds like static on a television. It also makes sounds like rain and a river. I don't do the beach waves sounds because they are inconsistent and distract me. Same for the forest sounds of birds and crickets, etc. I like the static noise sound the best. Maybe that will help him sleep or at least drown out some of his crying so it doesn't wake his sister. Watch what you give him to eat or drink before bedtime. Sugar and/or candy or drinks with food coloring, could trigger bad responses during sleep. Lastly, it could just be a phase, my 4 year old is going through this as well, but it's few and far between luckily. They share a room with bunk beds with the 7 year old big brother. I sleep on a separate bed in the same room, and me being there is so helpful for them, they sleep well knowing I am there. I am divorced so it's easy for me to sleep in their room, no husband to have to negotiate that out with. Also, I don't let my kids watch ANYTHING remotely scary or disturbing. This has been so helpful in keeping the nightmares to a minimum. They don't even watch the morning or evening news (always a murder story on the news) or any adult programming, only very mild kid shows and cartoons. That has made all the difference in the big scheme of things, I think. Good luck!
Cypress25 Posted December 30, 2011 Posted December 30, 2011 Is he just crying or having night terrors? If it's night terrors, he won't remember it the next day and you won't be able to soothe him during an episode. (My mom tells me that I had night terrors when I was a kid. My brother and sister had their own rooms, but they definitely heard me raising hell in the middle of the night.) Either way, it's just a phase that some kids go through. Is there a spare room that your 3-year-old could sleep in temporarily, so your 5-year-old won't be disturbed? A den or a living room where you could set up a cot, maybe? I don't let my kids watch ANYTHING remotely scary or disturbing. This has been so helpful in keeping the nightmares to a minimum. They don't even watch the morning or evening news (always a murder story on the news) or any adult programming, only very mild kid shows and cartoons. Might want to watch out for those Halloween episodes of The Simpsons, too. I definitely had nightmares about that murderous Krusty the Clown doll when I was a kid.
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