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Monday, March 12, 2012

Maid for Mondays: Surviving those sleepless nights!



Wellit’s that time of year againSPRING FORWARD! I must admit that I am not like most Mom’s. I actually really like moving my clocks up an hour. I know that sounds crazy, but hear me out. My kids seem to think 5am is a good wake-up time! Wowza! Some days I’m lucky and get to sleep until 6:30am! And believe me when I say this does not bode well with my night-owl side! But, when the clock moves up an houraaahhhI get to sleep until 7:30 or 8am!!! At least for a whileuntil their internal clocks readjust.

So, trust me when I sayI’ve had my fair share of sleepless nights! And even nights when there is very little sleep. I mean, I have FOUR children ages 6 and under for crying out loud! Just so you knowI rarely sleep a full 8 hours without interruption. Okay, let’s be honest, I rarely sleep 8 hours! I can’t seem to sleep much past 6½ or 7 hours. But, my body can run on that.

But 2 or 3 hours is another story. You know those nights. They are the ones that can steal your JOY come morning! They are the ones that make you count the hours and even minutes until naptime. So how do you not let them affect you and your attitude? Especially if you’re one that really enjoys her sleep?

Here are some simple steps you can take to ensure a pleasant and even JOYFUL day is had by all!

  1. Start with Scripture: Even though you may have to drag yourself out of bed, this is a MUST! Even if it’s just a short passage you can meditate on in the “thinking room” (aka the restroom), it will change your mood. I have a book in our “thinking room” that is a short devotional for Mom’s. It’s absolutely perfect for those mornings when I’m dragging.
  2. Take a shower if possible: I don’t always get to take a shower in the mornings due to the Hubster’s schedule. But, on those mornings I almost insist that I get the 20 minutes to myself. I need that quiet time to relax and reflect on what I’ve just read. Sometimes I spend that time crying out to God, “Why me? Why did they have to stay up last night of all nights? I have so much to do today. I can’t drag on like this.” Then, my cry turns into a plea for help. “Lord, I need help! I can not do this alone. I need even more patience than normal.” Now, I know praying for patience is dangerous, but trust meHe’ll be there with you every step.
  3. Lighten your load: If at all possiblelighten the days load on yourself. Instead of doing 5 loads of laundry do 2-3 loads. And instead of prepping food for the week, only cook 2-3 days of make-ahead meals. Or simply push things back a day! It’s your housewho’s gonna know? Okay, your kids will know if you don’t feed them for an entire day, so do that. But seriouslyif everyone has clothes for a couple days don’t stress over the laundry. It will get done!
  4. Skimp on school: If you’re having one of those days, its likely your kids are feeling the effects themselves. (Even if they try to convince us otherwise with their hyperactive moods and rambunctious routines!) So, take it easy on school work. Switch it up and do something FUN for the day! Do an experiment for Science, take a nature walk if its nice outside and collect leaves and rocks. Act out your History lesson like a one-act playthe list could go on and on! The point is to do something active and fun!! From personal experience, it’s very difficult to get your tired kids to sit down and practice handwriting on a day like that!
  5. Take a nap!! I know this probably seems impossible on some days, but sometimes just a short 30-minute nap is all I need to keep going or to re-energize me. If I get a nap, its usually when my three littles are down for their naps between 1pm and 4pm. Sometimes I even sneak in an hour! Trust meits good for everyone if a tired, worn-out momma gets a quick nap in.

You don’t have to have multiple children to experience sleepless nights. I remember being up countless nights with our first-born. It was exhausting. Thankfully the Lord and good friends have helped me realize the 5 tips for surviving a sleepless night. And, now with four kids I can say that unless someone is sick, I usually get between 6-7 hours of sleep. I don’t know what I’ll do if another one comes along! I’m kinda’ getting used to it! Guess I’ll take my own advice and re-read this post!!

What are your tips for surviving those sleepless or sleep-little nights? Leave a comment below so we can all benefit!!

Blessings,
Annette


Linking up with these parties:

A-Wise-Woman-Builds-Her-HomeThese Five of Mine


       
the straightened path


Growing Home  


10 comments:

Mrs. Dougherty said...

I love springing forward. I wish they would leave it this way all year!

Annette@InAllYouDo said...

I'm so glad I'm not alone!!! And I too wish they would leave it this way! I told the Hubster last night that we should just move to AZ! They don't participate!! Haha

Lori Fairchild said...

What a timely post. We had one of those nights last night -- and my kids are 8 and 10. The stomach flu hit my youngest with a vengeance about 4 a.m. Great tips for getting through the day. Thanks for sharing.

Annette@InAllYouDo said...

Lori, I'm so sorry!! That has to be the worst of all sleepless nights. I will pray it passes quickly and you can stay well too! And, by the way...I LOVE getting your emails from your blog! They are GREAT! Thanks for stopping by!

Unknown said...

This sounds so like the stage I'm in! Ha! Gotta to love the tag little one seems to play on your sleep. If one sleeps through the night the other one wakes up for some reason and so on. My hubby still doesn't understand why I haven't picked up my running schedule again after #2. Running with 8 hours of sleep is a real challenge let alone with less than 5. Thank you so much for sharing this encouraging post!

Annette@InAllYouDo said...

You are so welcome!! Trust me...it does get easier! I thought I would never settle into a routine after #2. But eventually we did and he adjusted to sleeping more - finally. Patience may be what we need, but not often what we want! haha Hang in there!!

Blessings,
Annette

P.S. You're already doing better than I am, because I don't run AT ALL!!! Unless it's around the island in our kitchen chasing kiddos!

Unknown said...

Hi I am from I wise woman builds her house link up. Thanks for the tips. I have had so many sleepless nights, it's like I am asleep during the day . our 6th child was still born 1-24-12 and it has disturbed my sleep more than anything ever has. When I saw your title I said that's where I am going! Thanks for sharing.

Annette@InAllYouDo said...

Oh Tesha, I am so sorry to hear about your child. I have 3 angel babies waiting on me in heaven. It's never easy. I will be praying for your healing and sleeping to improve. May your heart be healed with His peace. I am so glad you stopped by! I hope these tips will not only help you in the coming days and months, but also bring you some comfort.

Blessings,
Annette

Kasey @ Walking Redeemed said...

I'm odd with you then...I love turning them forward! And I love the extra sunlight at the end of the day!

Annette@InAllYouDo said...

Oh Kasey...I love Spring Forward because my kids sleep late!!!! I really dislike Fall back for the same reason. I don't like how early it gets dark either. I wish they would just leave it like this!! My kids have been sleeping until almost 7:30-8 EVERYDAY!!!! So much better than 5:30-6:30 in the Fall. hehe