Sleep
Yes, we are moms. We are the legions of the underrested. I’m talking
about you, but more important, I’m talking about your child. Our
children as a whole are grossly sleep deprived. A two-year-old needs
around twelve hours of sleep a day, and most don’t get anywhere near
that much. The craziest thing about sleep is that a tired kid acts like
a wired kid. So when it’s around seven in the evening, and you think
your kid isn’t tired because he’s chasing the dog around in circles,
you’re likely wrong. That kid is probably overtired. Another
important sign of an overtired kid is if bedtime is a fiasco. Bedtime
shouldn’t be a hassle. If it is, chances are your child is overtired.
Overtired kids are clumsier, have more freak-outs and tantrums,
“poke” at others, and are generally fussier. “No I waaaant the pink
cup. No. The blue cup. No. The pink cup.” You know the drill. Of
course, toddlers are known for their fickleness, but tired kids tend to
go above and beyond with regard to the crazy. Fix sleep before beginning
potty training. Always, always go for more sleep. If you and your child
have been struggling with sleep, please get help before potty training.
My go-to sleep expert is Alanna McGinn of The Good Night Sleep
Site. She’s amazing at getting parents and children back on track
with good, healthy sleep habits. I’m not going to spend a whole lot of
time talking about sleep, but you really want this duck in the row
before you begin.