Could it be possible that this haphazard-looking mess be the sacred answer? (Sure, it might not look like much, but when you’re sleep-deprived, one’s hopes and dreams get a tad basic.)
It’s pretty much a given that if a child does not develop excellent sleeping habits by the age of one, we will sell said child to science. Our first child is almost seven; so far so good. Our second child is approaching his first birthday. He has recently starting waking up at 5 a.m. We are firm in our belief that anything before 6 a.m. is inhumane. It’s looking like his days are numbered.
Yesterday, my Beloved heard a tip from Grandfather that it might be the light causing him to do this new schedule of inhumane-waking-thing. Uh, duh … the sun does rise earlier in the summer! Why hadn’t we thought of that? Oh yeah, because we were up at 5 a.m.
Anyhow, Beloved comes home and immediately tears daughter’s favourite quilt off her bed to hang over the blind already in son’s room and then proceeds to stuff every available blanket in the remaining space to ensure that no crack of evil sunlight enters the room. (He really does like this child and is not keen on selling him.)
It was certainly not an elegant solution. As you can plainly see.
But, hey, baby didn’t wake until after the “safe” hour of 6 a.m. this morning. We’ve left the make-shift window contraption up again for tonight in the hope that we will get a repeat performance. Even daughter didn’t mind loaning her quilt to such a worthwhile cause.
Hi Jules,
I think it is a phase…Jason, my youngest, did the same thing and then for a couple of weeks last fall slept until 10am….comes with learning new skills, walking, pulling self up, etc….he will start to sleep longer….you really just have to ignore him. I know, easier said than done but it will work!
Jim put black sleeping bags on T’s windows, over top of the rudely expensive custom designer shades we bought before T was born. The blinds allegedly have “black out” lining but I can tell you that the sun is very much in evidence at 5 am in summer. Alas, the sleeping bags.
No, it’s not pretty. But much like wearing the world’s ugliest — but warm — boots on a -40 degree day, I fully endorse the ugly solution that buys you that most precious gift: an hour of sleep.