26 March 2013

Sleep deprivation and the small child

I have decamped to a cafe for warmth. Boilers always go on the blink when it's cold, don't they!

Madam and I are indulging in free wifi and a hot drink (I have to let her feed her moshi monster as part of this arangement). I get caffeine, which is what I am mainly powered by, so that's good :)

I kept up with my meal planning and we did have our chicken and broccoli pie, and it turned out so well I may have to put it into our regular repertoire! I certainly have made plans to cook it for friend H next time she visits. This will probably be a nice change from the roast pork we usually force ourselves to eat! Oh goodness, I seem to remember promising to attempt choc beetroot cake  for this occasion as well!

We never manage to be healthy!

I hate the kids holidays as it sends any pretence of routine completely out the window, but we did manage to get up, dressed, and breakfasted this morning before midday. This is an achievement, believe me!

Madam did have to be persuaded to do the getting dressed part of this routine as she seemed to think we should have a pyjama day. But I held firm and ate my cereal in front of her whilst waiting for her to get on with it!

I then managed to get my choice of dvd first (as I put it on whilst she was eating) and she, mainly, didn't whinge about it.

I did very little last night as I had spent Sunday night trying to do three things at once and getting myself into a kefuffle. I mainly just watched Shutter Island and caught up on my Words With Friends games. 

I meant to finish off a project that I had been working on, but I never quite got round to it and was determined to go to bed as soon as the film finished as I've been getting later and later again at the moment.

I did manage to fall asleep on my own at least. Before madam must have snuck in at some point as she was wrapped around me when I woke up! I much prefer this method of co-sleeping as we keep each other awake otherwise.

I've been reading some articles on sleep deprivation in children and how much it affects them. It's something I'm quite consious of as I have trouble sleeping and I worry that madam will as well. So, for me, it's very important that madam doesn't have any things in her room that she can stay awake and do. I don't want her to have a tv, dvd, let alone a computer in there. 

I know that at 4 she's quite young for these worries, but she has several friends with tv's in their rooms and who get put to bed with a dvd on. There was also some talk in the articles about out of school activities and homework being part of the problem.

I think most of my friends will remember how much I liked homework as a child! But I also think that there should be a time limit on how much that kids are given. I'm not convinced spending two hours struggling over maths problems you don't understand is helpful.

But I do think that the amount of sleep kids get makes a whole heap of difference to them and their personalities. Madam is plain horrible when she's tired. She won't do anything for anyone and she is punchy and deliberately nasty. It's not fun. However, when she's woken up from a full nights sleep she's giggly, fun and a complete live wire.

I guess I'm the same though, as anyone who's ever had to do a morning shift with me after a late will attest! ;)



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