How we solved bedtime battles
The small human was always reluctant to sleep. There was too much world to explore and she wanted to see as much of it as possible and sleep seemed like an inconvenience. The more we attempted to create a calming, sleepy environment, the more it seemed to enrage her.
But it was also more than that. From the moment she was born, she needed more input than it seemed other kids did. She thrived in babywearing and hated strollers. She started walking at 9 months, and climbing a week later.
She would spend hours on a swing (real one, hated those big expensive baby swings). And when she danced, she spun around over and over again.
It took us far too long to realize that her adventurous ways and her hatred of bedtime were related.
For sensory seeking brains, there is a minimum level of input required to feel safe. And in order for us to fall asleep we need to feel safe.
I’ve spoken to so many parents of Autistic and ADHD kids and one of the frustrations at bedtime is often that the kids are restless. Like they cannot get their bodies to just stop moving.
And thats because that is exactly whats happening. They are trying to get that minimum level of input so they can finally RELAX.
Here are some of the things I’ve had client incorperate into bedtime routines to go from fighting sleep to well rested kiddos:
Pillow fights and wrestling
Lying small humans on the top of a duvet, a parent on each side of the bed and lifting a side at a time to roll the small human back and forth
Crashing into pillows/crash mats/stuffed animals
Weighted blankets and stuffies
Projection lamps - stars/galaxies/sunsets
Audiobooks (yoto players are amazing)
Sensory swings in bedrooms (for age appropriate kiddos)
Climbing and jumping (we have a swedish ladder in the small humans room and it is the best investment we have ever made)
Check out my amazon storefront for products I commonly recomment
Give any combo of these a go and see how bedtime changes for your sensory seeking small human!
