Friday, October 12

Why won't you sleep?

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Sleep deprivation is part and parcel of being a parent. I know that. After eleven years of mothering I get the whole running on empty with next to no sleep. Really I do.

What I don't get though is why the hell an eleven year old refuses to sleep each and every night. Without fail. There is no getting through to this particularly stubborn mule that sleep is an essential part of life.

And even if by some miracle unbeknownst to the rest of the world she doesn't need sleep, I do. Around seven hours a night, though I would happily take five if it were unbroken and not following a three hour fight trying to convince someone else of the importance of sleep.

It is not for the weak you know darling? Even the toughest roughest so and so's sleep. So why won't you?

After a long week of cleaning, sorting, reorganising and just generally trying to restore some sort of order to the place we call home, the last thing I need, each and every night is a fight over why you need to go to sleep. #FFS!!!

The first night sure, I can come up with plausible excuses to explain your resistance. The last few days have been tough. The anniversary of Grandpa's death is difficult for us all. Going back to school can make one anxious. It is hard to break out of the holiday routine of later nights. I get that. I do.

But it can only be used so many times. And you have used up all those times.

My patience, understanding and general caring have packed up and walked out the door. The only ever agreed to stay while sleep was part of the deal. Without sleep there is no patience, understanding or cool calm collected mother. Instead there is a grouch grumbling tyrant that could quite happily stab you in the eye with a fork or perhaps some form of blunt instrument.

Said tyrant is also likely to yell, scream and be unable to listen to reason. Not that you are forthcoming with any reason or explanations. Which then of course leads to even more angst and frustration.

The upside to all of this? Yes there is one. There is always an upside, just sometimes it is harder than others to see.

This time the upside is that I get to join in with the lovely Miss Cinders. Who on a Friday, when the week has suddenly become too much and too long likes to lose her shit and asks others to join on in.

Lose Your Shit Friday

So here am I with my tired cranky pants on. Letting the world get on top of me and wishing I could just stay in bed and start again tomorrow. Or perhaps even the next day.

You see because it is not just the child refusing to sleep that has my knickers in a knot. Oh no there is so much more.

Like the fact said child is also refusing to eat her lunch. Which I lovingly make each and every god dam morning. I detest making school lunches with a passion but the current economic climate prevents any other option. If she brings home an uneaten sandwich one more time I may well just ram it down her precious little throat.

It's not like I don't ask her each and every morning what she would like and will she definitely eat it? To which she always assures me she will. Don't even get me started on the lying... Or the inability to listen, anyone would think ears are merely painted on or solely for decorative purposes... Or the attitude...

Then to top off my sleep deprived frustration of today I discover that some twat (myself) failed to close the fridge properly at the rather ungodly hour of one am, some fifteen hours ago. You can only begin to imagine my mood when I discovered this tragedy a few short minutes ago. Compounded by the fact that said fridge just happens to hold alcoholic beverages that I just so happened to be about to treat myself to.

Explosion point really is imminent.

Thankfully part of LYSF is that you need to include five awesomes. So here it goes.

  1. I was clever enough to make a few changes blog changes here and there. Including a funky new banner that I just love more every time I see it. Which is nice because to start with I had my doubts about it and just went with it because at least it was new.
  2. The discovery of some groovy new apps and free photo/graphics editing programs.
  3. The fact that it is Friday afternoon and Mr Awesome will shortly be home and has the weekend off.
  4. A few new followers around the traps. This always makes my heart swell, especially if the numbers have been stagnate for a while. Which they have been.
  5. Even though there is the need for a quick tidy up, the majority of the house is looking rather spick and span. The girls bedroom and under the stairs have both been decluttered and now no longer resemble the junk pile they did at the start of the week.
Make sure you swing by Saturday Morning Ogre Mum and find out what has got everyone else going off.



6 comments:

  1. God. I've only had 11 months of sleep deprivation, let alone 11 years! I'm horrified and mortified that this could become my life. Feelin for you! Maybe you should make her go 24 hours without it. Then she might know just how important it is! That's a joke by the way ;-) but I'd be tempted if I were you.

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  2. Wow Rhianna it sounds really tough. Have u thought of getting some professional ideas on what's going on for her given lunch is also not happening? She's a tween, just before teen ... Maybe she's trying to make her mark or find her place. I'm sure you'll sort it out.

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  3. Oh my... will you beat me with a broom if I say an early welcome to the teenage years?

    I'm feeling for you! I really REALLY am!

    I need sleep too. I cannot function without it. But seventeen years after #1 was born, I am still fighting the sleep deprivation hole.

    One day hun, one day we will be able to sleep no worries. And even be able to sleep in without having to keep one ear and eye open listening out for them.

    Thanks for linking up! xxx

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  4. Oh I can feel your pain to a degree. Bailey doesn't love sleep, but he will do it eventually, and he is four. I can't believe this is still an issue at her age. Hope you have a breakthrough soon.

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  5. Hope you enjoyed your drink because you've sure earned it.

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  6. No advice just sympathy. She has to sleep eventually yeah. Surely. Perhaps she's needing an extra dose of love due to all the stress and she will settle when she's ready. Or perhaps she's just testing the boundaries.. I have no idea but for everyone's sake I hope you get some decent sleep soon.

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