Oh boy, reading this took me right back to weaning our son off his pacy, which is so funny because just yesterday we were at one of his classmate’s 6th birthday party, and a parent had their 1 year old daughter there with a pacy in her mouth and I missed my 1-year-old son instantly. Theres something so cute about it. He was a terrible sleeper, and the pacy saved our lives, lol and while weaning him off was hard, I was grateful to the pacy for the 3 hour stretches it did afford us during the first year and a half. Sending sleepy vibes your way for a routine that works and then changes again and again to keep working. 6 years later, he sleeps through the night, it does get better.
I'm so thankful for the person who made the paci. So grateful I wrote an ode about it too! lol Keep us in love. I woke up with bags under my eyes today!
Lol he said idk when yall made this decision but I didn’t sign up for that! Hoping the transition eases day by day.
— literally every day lmao. And yet I’m still shocked. I’ve never been great at routine, the girl is a work in progress. I’ve found myself sleeping in spurts since working overnight but I’ve never been a “good sleeper”. Maybe ever since the pacifier days 😂 so I feel Myles deeply rn.
Hang in there, you three! You're right, it's always something else, even when it's not actually your responsibility anymore. At least, that's been my experience.
Marc, I shared this post w/ my daughter (28) who is a full time nanny in Australia and has worked both with sleep-trained kids and those who aren't. She'd tell you that despite this bit of regression you're still ahead of the curve.
I love the idea of you and your bride folding into each other with sweet treats, good shows, and all that evolves from having time to be in each other's arms. Here's to having that option again really soon!
We feel so lucky because we know it can be so much worst. Little Elizabeth, sending you love all the way from here! I am hoping we have so more couch time soon.
I'm gonna answer the last question honestly... I''m going through a lot of spiritual growth right now. Trying to find my own voice and alignment, instead of appeasing family.. the voice is there, not solidified but it's a start. As far as the sleep question goes, I feel like as I get older, i wake up like I just aged 101 years. I just thank God that I'm up and just stretch it out LOL
I'm 71 years old and as I age, I find it harder to sleep. I think that's why we lived in tribes, to have the elders watch the babies.
We also called our night time routines musical beds. The kids would get up and one of us would go on the couch. this continued until they were school age.
This is brilliant and oh soooooooo relatable. For A it wasn’t the pacifier, he just refused to sleep . Refused on his crib, refused on a mattress on the floor with me next to him, just flat out refused. As he approached 4, one day he took the mattress that he refused to sleep on (where I would sleep next to him) and dragged it onto the huge landing in the upstairs hallway. Dragged it right up to our bedroom door, as though to say that he would know if we tried to walk out of the room …
First we tried to talk him out of it - the hallway was loud and bright, how would he sleep, etc etc… but he insisted. Just lay there and then eventually conked out. That was the beginning of my regular night sleep again, but it took for long, tortious years.
Just last night our 19 month old woke up crying at 3:45am--I was certain he was wet or thirsty so I went to check. I changed his diaper, offered him water but he just pointed at the reading chair and named his favorite book. That scamp!
I think we should do a LIVE about this! (I am now live obsessed.) I have a theory that showing our kids our frustration is actually really good for them.
Oh, those days were so hard! I feel like I didn't sleep through the night for about 7 or 8 years. When one son finally did, the other one was up for some reason. Every new skill brought on more sleep disruption. Teething, learning to sit/stand/walk, potty training, it all meant no sleep for me.
One thing that did help was that I knew they wouldn't go to college still stuck in that phase. I knew that SOMEDAY they would learn to sleep through the night without spending hours on bedtime routines. And that they would do it by themselves. My boys are now 18 and 22 and I can say that this is true.
The sleep deprivation is REAL, but it's not forever. Sending love and support to you, Maya, and Myles. You will make it through.
It was 7 years because I had 2. The first one was sleeping through then we had a newborn and started over again. Each kid is different. My second one was a great sleeper relative to the first. But each milestone brings on more disruption. Enjoy, it won't be forever! 💜
There’s been so many plans that God probably laughed at that I can’t even pick one to tell you. However, as a result I restructure my plans to intentions leaving off hard deadlines and just deciding to work towards it. I talk to God about it and submit the idea to him and asks for how we gonna execute it.
I have routines and built some flexibility into it. For example, I was so strict about the three days I went to the gym and be upset with myself if I didn’t go. Now it’s pick the 3 days between Monday and Saturday that you gonna get it done. I really don’t know where it came from but if I had to guess it’s probably from my mom or probably from being in sports and other activities that required time management from young.
My sleeps been on and off lately but I slept like a log last night. Is there an oil diffuser in his room? I’m wondering if the room smelled like lavender would that soothe him a bit?
A transition I went through recently was working nights, then going to day schedule 8a-4p for 4 weeks for a training in a room where majority of the people didn’t want to be there and you could feel it and then back to nights of 5p-1a. 10/10 would not recommend, my sleep and mental health took a big hit. I’m 5 weeks back into my original routine so I’m good again.
This is a beautiful piece!
My Irish grandmother always said, "God writes straight with crooked lines!" 💕
I love that line, Casey! Grandma's gems.
Perhaps this is the answer to break our oligarchical class...lock them in a room for a week with screaming, sleep-regressive, teething toddlers.
hw, I like your politics!
Middle school girls.
Tell the girls what you want the outcome to be and promise you won't look too closely at the details.
Oh boy, reading this took me right back to weaning our son off his pacy, which is so funny because just yesterday we were at one of his classmate’s 6th birthday party, and a parent had their 1 year old daughter there with a pacy in her mouth and I missed my 1-year-old son instantly. Theres something so cute about it. He was a terrible sleeper, and the pacy saved our lives, lol and while weaning him off was hard, I was grateful to the pacy for the 3 hour stretches it did afford us during the first year and a half. Sending sleepy vibes your way for a routine that works and then changes again and again to keep working. 6 years later, he sleeps through the night, it does get better.
I'm so thankful for the person who made the paci. So grateful I wrote an ode about it too! lol Keep us in love. I woke up with bags under my eyes today!
Lol he said idk when yall made this decision but I didn’t sign up for that! Hoping the transition eases day by day.
— literally every day lmao. And yet I’m still shocked. I’ve never been great at routine, the girl is a work in progress. I’ve found myself sleeping in spurts since working overnight but I’ve never been a “good sleeper”. Maybe ever since the pacifier days 😂 so I feel Myles deeply rn.
Wishing you rest! Working nights is hard work!
"Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth." - who knew Mike Tyson was a parenting expert.
Facts!!!!
😂😂😂😂
Hang in there, you three! You're right, it's always something else, even when it's not actually your responsibility anymore. At least, that's been my experience.
Marc, I shared this post w/ my daughter (28) who is a full time nanny in Australia and has worked both with sleep-trained kids and those who aren't. She'd tell you that despite this bit of regression you're still ahead of the curve.
I love the idea of you and your bride folding into each other with sweet treats, good shows, and all that evolves from having time to be in each other's arms. Here's to having that option again really soon!
We feel so lucky because we know it can be so much worst. Little Elizabeth, sending you love all the way from here! I am hoping we have so more couch time soon.
☺️
I'm gonna answer the last question honestly... I''m going through a lot of spiritual growth right now. Trying to find my own voice and alignment, instead of appeasing family.. the voice is there, not solidified but it's a start. As far as the sleep question goes, I feel like as I get older, i wake up like I just aged 101 years. I just thank God that I'm up and just stretch it out LOL
I know that is hard. I appreciate you sharing. It's especially hard when it comes to family. Hoping to hear a good report from you soon.
I need to do more stretching for real!
I remember all of this. Just when you think you’ve nailed it, in comes the next lesson.
The whole letter in a nutshell. No more getting comfortable!
It goes on and on, which is of course what we want. My love to you and your family.
I love routine, actually, and cherish mine.
Sounds like you're doing amazingly well, and I didn't even know there was such a thing as weaning pacifiers. What will they think of next?
Thanks for sharing your parenting adventures, Marc.
I'm 71 years old and as I age, I find it harder to sleep. I think that's why we lived in tribes, to have the elders watch the babies.
We also called our night time routines musical beds. The kids would get up and one of us would go on the couch. this continued until they were school age.
This is brilliant and oh soooooooo relatable. For A it wasn’t the pacifier, he just refused to sleep . Refused on his crib, refused on a mattress on the floor with me next to him, just flat out refused. As he approached 4, one day he took the mattress that he refused to sleep on (where I would sleep next to him) and dragged it onto the huge landing in the upstairs hallway. Dragged it right up to our bedroom door, as though to say that he would know if we tried to walk out of the room …
First we tried to talk him out of it - the hallway was loud and bright, how would he sleep, etc etc… but he insisted. Just lay there and then eventually conked out. That was the beginning of my regular night sleep again, but it took for long, tortious years.
Just last night our 19 month old woke up crying at 3:45am--I was certain he was wet or thirsty so I went to check. I changed his diaper, offered him water but he just pointed at the reading chair and named his favorite book. That scamp!
Those moments are so sweet but also incredibly frustrated - I try not to show the latter. Can't promise that always happens. *sigh*
I think we should do a LIVE about this! (I am now live obsessed.) I have a theory that showing our kids our frustration is actually really good for them.
I'l love too! I love talking with you, Isabel, you have such a warm presence.
Well, you obviously lost your minds. Good luck getting any sleep dear hearts.
Oh, those days were so hard! I feel like I didn't sleep through the night for about 7 or 8 years. When one son finally did, the other one was up for some reason. Every new skill brought on more sleep disruption. Teething, learning to sit/stand/walk, potty training, it all meant no sleep for me.
One thing that did help was that I knew they wouldn't go to college still stuck in that phase. I knew that SOMEDAY they would learn to sleep through the night without spending hours on bedtime routines. And that they would do it by themselves. My boys are now 18 and 22 and I can say that this is true.
The sleep deprivation is REAL, but it's not forever. Sending love and support to you, Maya, and Myles. You will make it through.
Your first sentence make made me so anxious. 7 years! Whew keep us in love and prayer.
It was 7 years because I had 2. The first one was sleeping through then we had a newborn and started over again. Each kid is different. My second one was a great sleeper relative to the first. But each milestone brings on more disruption. Enjoy, it won't be forever! 💜
Oh, friend. I felt this in the backs of my eyes. The disruptive weariness.
🫂🫂🫂🫂🫂🫂 hope you doing well cousin .
There’s been so many plans that God probably laughed at that I can’t even pick one to tell you. However, as a result I restructure my plans to intentions leaving off hard deadlines and just deciding to work towards it. I talk to God about it and submit the idea to him and asks for how we gonna execute it.
I have routines and built some flexibility into it. For example, I was so strict about the three days I went to the gym and be upset with myself if I didn’t go. Now it’s pick the 3 days between Monday and Saturday that you gonna get it done. I really don’t know where it came from but if I had to guess it’s probably from my mom or probably from being in sports and other activities that required time management from young.
My sleeps been on and off lately but I slept like a log last night. Is there an oil diffuser in his room? I’m wondering if the room smelled like lavender would that soothe him a bit?
A transition I went through recently was working nights, then going to day schedule 8a-4p for 4 weeks for a training in a room where majority of the people didn’t want to be there and you could feel it and then back to nights of 5p-1a. 10/10 would not recommend, my sleep and mental health took a big hit. I’m 5 weeks back into my original routine so I’m good again.